Darik's Boot and Nuke

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Darik's Boot and Nuke

Developed by	Darik Horn
Latest release	1.0.7 / August 13, 2006
Genre	Secure erase
License	GNU General Public License
Website	dban.sourceforge.net

Darik's Boot and Nuke (commonly known as DBAN) is an open source project hosted on Sourceforge. The program is designed to securely erase a hard disk until data is no longer recoverable, by overwriting the data with random numbers generated by Mersenne twister (a PRNG). The Gutmann method is included with DBAN.

DBAN can be booted from a floppy disk, CD, or USB flash drive and it is based on Linux. It supports IDE, SCSI and SATA hard drives.

Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

DBAN is a means of ensuring due diligence in computer recycling, preventing identity theft prior to selling or donating a used computer, and ensuring that a reused disk is completely free of malware. DBAN prevents or thoroughly hinders all known techniques of hard disk forensic analysis.

The development and support of the DBAN software project is funded in part by GEEP International, a consumer electronics recycling company in North America.