NShred securely wipes confidential data from PC drives beyond recovery using standard recommendations, including the US Department of Defense (DOD). Erased file and folder's name, size, and contents cannot be retrieved by any software or hardware means.
One may wonder why simple deletion of files is not sufficient. When a file or a folder is deleted in WindowsTM, it is not erased entirely. Instead, the hard disk descriptor table is updated, and the file entry is removed, while the actual bytes of the file remain on the disk. Even when the file area is overwritten, it is still possible to recover data by applying certain laboratory procedures. It is rare that a portion of the hard disk is rewritten more than 3/5 times, and it has been estimated that complete irrecoverability is only achieved after over 30 rewrites.
NShred effectively destroys all data. By detecting the file area on the hard disk, this software rewrites the area n times depending on the selected procedure. For instance, with the DOD algorithm, the file area is rewritten one time with "0" bits, then with "1" bits, and finally with a random byte. Upon completion of the rewriting, the file area is reduced to zero, renamed with random characters, and finally deleted. This procedure guarantees that not even a single byte from the former file can ever be retrieved.
What sets NShred apart from other shredding tools is that it behaves according to the Operating System (OS). Unlike most other shredding tools that are "brute force" and "operating system agnostic" erasing tools, NShred ensures that users are unable to turn it unstable. The user can erase it when it is no longer locked by the OS. Moreover, NShred is a .NET Framework application that ensures a superior robustness, full compatibility, and integration with the latest Microsoft Operating Systems and tools. It can even run unattended via Task Scheduler.
Overall, NShred is an exceptional software that ensures complete data destruction without leaving any traces. It is specifically designed to provide users with the highest degree of security when it comes to disposing of confidential information, and its unique features set it apart from other shredding tools.
Version 2.4.2982: Now fully Windows 7 compatible; Implements Windows 7 taskbar feedback; Minor changes and bug fixing.
Version 2.3.2165: Improved compatibility for 64bit systems; Enhanced 'Shred Unused Space' option; New setup procedure; other minor bug fixing and improvements
Version 2.2.1027: Added HMG IS5 Enhanced and German VSITR standard methods; Shred engine completely rewritten; Logger now details any shredding phase
Version 2.1.2128: New security checks on shredding; Context menu with file count info; fixed layout on Vista; bugfixing
Version 2.1.1012: New security checks on shredding; Context menu with file count info; fixed layout on Vista; bugfixing
Version 2.0.2321: Enhanced Windows Vista compatibility, Fixed IE7 discovering algorithm
Version 2.0.1477: Enhanced Windows Vista compatibility, Fixed IE7 discovering algorithm
Version 2.0.1312: Enhanced Windows Vista compatibility, Fixed IE7 discovering algorithm
Version 1.5.4270: New Firefox special items, summary before shredding, unattended run via task scheduler, enhanced command line tool.
Version 1.5: New Firefox special items, summary before shredding, unattended run via task scheduler, enhanced command line tool.