Title: The 2007 analysis of information remaining on disks offered for sale on the second hand market

Authors: Andrew Jones, Craig Valli, Glenn S. Dardick, Iain Sutherland

Addresses: Head of Information Security Research, Security Research Centre, British Telecommunications, Centre for Information and Security Systems Research, PP24 Antares Building, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, IP5 3RE, UK. ' Head of School, School of Computer and Information Science, Edith Cowan University, Mount Lawley Campus, 6050 Western Australia, Australia. ' College of Business and Economics, Longwood University, 201 High Street, Farmville, Virginia 23909, USA. ' School of Computing, J128 – Faculty of Advanced Technology, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, Cardiff, CF37 1DL, UK

Abstract: The purpose of this on-going research has been to gain an understanding of the information that remains on disposed hard disks and to determine the level of damage that could, potentially be caused, if the information fell into the wrong hands. The study examines disks that have been obtained in a number of countries to determine whether there is any detectable national or regional variance in the way that the disposal of computer disks is addressed and to compare the results for any other detectable regional or temporal trends.

Keywords: computer forensics; disk analysis; data recovery; data disposal; electronic data destruction; privacy; second hand market; hard disks; computer disk disposal.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSE.2009.021533

International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry, 2009 Vol.2 No.1, pp.53 - 68

Published online: 30 Nov 2008 *

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