With this HDD mashing machine, you can watch your old hard drive being squished in half and then wonder if the spooks could still get at your data

If you're ~~paranoid~~ concerned about data security, what's the easiest way to permanently dispose of an old hard drive? How about a machine dedicated to destroy them? Enter the Shredbox, a device devised for just that purpose and which comes complete with a handy viewing window through which you can observe the demise of your data storage.

In terms of what it looks like, there's a large metal probe with a pointy end that pushes down on the drive, essentially crushing and slicing it in half. Shredbox says that the machine images each drive and identifies its type using AI, subsequently applying suitable crushing parameters.

This, Shredbox claims, "ensures that data is unrecoverable, meeting stringent compliance and security standards." Which no doubt is true up to a point. But exactly what point, now that's a question.

The discussion on the Reddit thread linked above (usual caveats apply), implies that the Shredbox wouldn't cut it for ever-paranoid US security agencies, perhaps including the CIA and NSA. The standard for a drive to be considered fully deaded (technical term, roll with it), involves fully overwriting the entire drive in the order of six times before then grinding the thing into dust.

Personally, I would guestimate based on the most gossamer-thin of engineering credentials that the process used by the Shredbox would not make data recovery totally impossible, but it would make it very, very time consuming and expensive.

You'd have shattered platters that would make data recovery impractical for all but the very highest priority efforts, and even then you might not be able to guarantee recovery. So, for many commercial entities, no doubt a drive shoved through the Shredbox can be considered sufficiently deleted.

As for why the Shredbox doesn't do what it says on the tin, well, that's likely because the hardware for actually shredding HDDs is bigger, bulkier, messier and requires more maintenance. If snapping drives in half is good enough for the end user, actually shredding the drives is overkill.

Shredbox says their device offers "complete data security, chain of custody, and responsible recycling in one solution." It's also said to be low power, pulling 10 amps, which this 110 / 120 V machine to run on a 12 V power inverter if need be.

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Jeremy has been writing about technology and PCs since the 90nm Netburst era (Google it!) and enjoys nothing more than a serious dissertation on the finer points of monitor input lag and overshoot followed by a forensic examination of advanced lithography. Or maybe he just likes machines that go “ping!” He also has a thing for tennis and cars.

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