DailyTech - Plextor to Launch Optical Media Eraser

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Hardware Plextor to Launch Optical Media Eraser
Purav Sanghani - August 3, 2006 3:48 PM

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41 comment(s) - last by Comdrpopnfresh.. on Aug 6 at 2:19 AM

PlexEraser takes the fun out of destroying optical media

There are those certain individuals out there that use optical media such as DVDs and CDs to store sensitive data and have the need to dispose of it in a secure manner without presenting or maintaining the risk of leaking any data.

When it comes time to dispose of that optical media many either take sheers to the plastic, crack the media in half with brute human force, or run it through a shredder designed for optical media. Well now there is another option to dispose of optical media which holds precious data.

Plextor will soon be launching the PlexEraser drive which will completely eradicate all signs of previously written data to any optical media out there. Generally a DVDRW or CDRW can be erased with a regular $40-$60 drive but for those with pressed discs or write-once media, the PlexEraser can be used to delete data on the disc and destroy the media forever in 6 minutes. If the PlexEraser drive is anything like the PlexEraser software included with many newer Plextor optical drives it will write over the Lead-in area and the data portion of the disc to rid the world of all things "my eyes only".

There has been no word of pricing or any other specific details on what else the PlexEraser is capable of but we sure hope it isn't just made for destroying media.

In other storage related news, DailyTech reported earlier today that Hitachi-Maxell and InPhase Technologies are bringing holographic storage to the commercial space sometime November or December. The new technology will start off at 300GB per disc and be scaled to 1.6TB and beyond later.

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Umm, a pen?

By abakshi on 8/3/2006 3:59:45 PM , Rating: 2

Just use a ball-point pen, dig a bit into the CD/DVD surface, and slide around - you'll tear apart the relevant part of the disc in no time. Do it enough and there'll be no hope of anyone ever putting the pieces back together.

So again, why does anyone need this?

RE: Umm, a pen?

By TomZ on 8/3/2006 4:03:05 PM , Rating: 3

Agreed, I just use a pair of scissors. Never takes more than 10 seconds.

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By rrsurfer1 on 8/3/2006 4:15:32 PM , Rating: 2

One thing though. If you cut the disk in half the data is technically still present. Sure where you "cut" the data is damaged but there are ways of reading the remaining undamaged portions of disk. Unless you completely "overwrite" the data there's still the potential of data recovery. Granted, this only applies if you REALLY have something thats worth some serious cash on the disk...

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By Hare on 8/3/2006 4:30:35 PM , Rating: 2

Well if you have something reaaally important on the disk I'm sure you would just brake it in half etc? Usually important stuff is encrypted anyway (should be)...

I think this product is just stupid. I would rather get a 50€ shredder that handles CDs and paper. No point waiting for the plextor to erase the cd when you can just run it through a shredder...

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By Hare on 8/3/2006 4:36:42 PM , Rating: 1

brake -> break...

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By rrsurfer1 on 8/3/2006 4:56:11 PM , Rating: 2

Reiterating what I just said, breaking it in half, even shredding to a certain extent, does not permanently get rid of the data. If someone works hard enough they can read the data. If you "overburn" the data however, the disk is useless.

There are companies that do this, look up data recovery on Google. The tech is there.

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By abakshi on 8/3/2006 5:03:16 PM , Rating: 2

If you physically tear the recording surface into bits, which is easy enough to do, there's no way to recover it.

Pen you already have + 10 seconds vs. "PlexEraser" probably costing >$100 + 6 minutes...hmm lemme think lol...

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By jkostans on 8/3/2006 5:13:00 PM , Rating: 2

I'm sure the government would want something a little more secure to destroy secret data. Chopping the disk up isn't good enough, the data is still there. They need to be completely gone, with no way of getting it back no matter how hard someone might try. You think secret information on paper is just shredded and thrown out?

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By patentman on 8/4/2006 8:12:49 AM , Rating: 2

Actually the government won't use this either for anythign truly sensitive. I used to have TS-SCI (Top-Secret Secure Compartmentalized Information) clearance and my office sent all media they wanted to get rid of, optical and magnetic, to a secure incinerator. Only foolproof way to remove all traces of data is to completely decompose the media.

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By PrinceGaz on 8/4/2006 3:26:04 PM , Rating: 2

I'd have thought a vat of acid for destroying data on sensitive discs would be the quickest and most effective means. No need for special equipment or to send the discs somewhere to be destroyed, instead you have an "always on" disc destroyer that can sit in the corner of the office. For safety it would be securely tethered and have a thick CD shaped slot in the top to drop discs through. The only maintenance needed would be to replace the acid after a few hundred or so discs.

Ideal for companies with dodgy accounts departments when the fraud investigators turn up without warning :)

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By rushfan2006 on 8/4/2006 9:40:28 AM , Rating: 2

Unless you have a crap paper shredder there is no way in hell you'll get anything valuable out of it. What do you think Iron Mountain does -- they shred the disks...we use this service all the time.

You can buy shredders that are designed for cd shredding and paper shredding at your local office supply store. The cd shredders have extra blades (and heavy duty) for finely mincing up the discs....again no way in hell you'll get data from my discs after they are shredded.

this product here is point less if you ask me..

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By SuganamiKen on 8/3/2006 11:21:03 PM , Rating: 2

Has anyone every nuked a CD? Takes only a few seconds...

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By DangerIsGo on 8/4/2006 12:32:49 AM , Rating: 2

I have. In my backyard. A burnt game became a coaster after a failed burn so I took it out back and nuked the sucker. Didnt want anyone taking my games! As for a few seconds? Yeah, but it does get a tad warm after those few seconds...

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By Googer on 8/3/2006 5:01:19 PM , Rating: 2

This device is good for reusing RW discs. Burn one wheile you erase another. I would buy it just for that purpose.

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By abakshi on 8/3/2006 5:05:47 PM , Rating: 2

Any burner will erase your RW's for you - so why would you need this drive (which, being from Plextor, will probably cost much more than a standard DVD+/-RW burner does)?

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RE: Umm, a pen?

By Comdrpopnfresh on 8/6/2006 2:19:24 AM , Rating: 2

A couple of things.... Ita a hell of a lot less expensive and seemingly faster to just put it thorugh a shredder, or even in the microwav (what I had heard of as the most secure way yet...)

But... the fact that it erases the data is interesting... Could a version of this technology be used to allow CD-R or DVD-R tp be rewritten to? (or are the dyes in all seriousness write-once?)

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Waste of Money

By KingViper on 8/3/2006 4:51:27 PM , Rating: 2

Anyone who buys a device to specifically erase discs must have alot of them to erase. However, even despite the outrageous price of gas these days, a small amount of gas, plus a concrete slab, plus cd's that need to be erased, plus fire, equals destroyed cd's plus fun.

I dont understand why this would be greatly beneficial. Also, doesn't some company make a "cd shredder" typer destroyer. I believe you put the cd in it and it actually automatically cuts a crosshatch pattern through the disc. IDK, seems faster and just as efficient. Unless you're keeping the disc for like and arts and crafts project.

So in conclusion, this will probably be used by school teachers, or crafty grandmothers.

RE: Waste of Money

By Hare on 8/3/2006 4:57:42 PM , Rating: 2

"Plextor Optical Media Eraser - For crafty grandmothers" Let me quess? You work at marketing ;)

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RE: Waste of Money

By rrsurfer1 on 8/3/2006 4:57:46 PM , Rating: 2

Exactly. Fire would probably be the best method. Not much chance of recovery from charred, melted plastic ;)

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RE: Waste of Money

By peternelson on 8/3/2006 5:23:56 PM , Rating: 2

Black and Decker drill with sanding attachment.

Fairly quick to sand off anything resembling data tracks into submillimetre dust.

I doubt the NSA or FBI would or could rebuild it because the order to place the bits would be entirely lost in the pile of dust.

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RE: Waste of Money

By fierydemise on 8/3/2006 6:30:57 PM , Rating: 2

Thermite + AOL CD

$5 to anyone who can find a recognizable piece of CD

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Magic? I don't think so.

By rumptis on 8/3/2006 4:09:06 PM , Rating: 2

I would think with the right software and maybe firmware upgrade any normal Write Drive should be able to do what this one does.

An interesting way to sell more drivers they already produce by labeling them different and packaging some updated software.

Just my 2 cents.

RE: Magic? I don't think so.

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 8/3/2006 4:13:31 PM , Rating: 2

Would be more amusing if you could erase the data and leave the disc intact like turning a CDR into a blank =/

Sadly that's not gonna happen.

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RE: Magic? I don't think so.

By stephenbrooks on 8/3/2006 5:08:27 PM , Rating: 2

Yes, and if you have a lot of them to erase the microwave can hold more at a time.

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RE: Magic? I don't think so.

By Johnmcl7 on 8/4/2006 8:23:04 AM , Rating: 2

That's what I was thinking - I didn't think this was possible so I was curious to see what it was. Six minutes to erase a disc seems a complete waste of time, anyone who needs to shred data will want proper shredder which will take a couple of seconds to destroy a cd.

John

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can't you just put it in the microwave?

By linkgoron on 8/3/2006 4:18:24 PM , Rating: 2

Doesn't it do the same thing? Only the disc looks cool after?

RE: can't you just put it in the microwave?

By bunnyfubbles on 8/3/2006 8:20:32 PM , Rating: 2

I agree, microwave is the way to go, gives you a nice light show to boot.

That or some pryomaniac solution is acceptable.

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RE: can't you just put it in the microwave?

By AnnihilatorX on 8/4/2006 10:16:00 AM , Rating: 2

lol The microwave wouldn't be able to cook food thereafter
Or you won't want to use it to cook

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RE: can't you just put it in the microwave?

By underline21 on 8/4/2006 11:07:08 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
by AnnihilatorX on August 4, 2006 at 10:16 AM
lol The microwave wouldn't be able to cook food thereafter
Or you won't want to use it to cook

Not true at all. 3-5 seconds in the microwave will cause no harm to it (the microwave) at all and the disc is completely destroyed, yet still in one piece. =}

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Too slow & expensive

By bigpow on 8/3/2006 5:40:37 PM , Rating: 2

Use the microwave oven.

10 sec for a low pile of CD/DVD or 2-3 sec for a single CD/DVD

RE: Too slow & expensive

By giantpandaman2 on 8/3/2006 5:50:33 PM , Rating: 2

Seriously, why waste time cutting, breaking, or using a dvd eraser?

Microwave will fry it all in seconds and there's zero chance of anyone recovering any data off it. Once the substrate is oxygenated or warped it's done. Just make sure you put it in a container so you don't damage the interior of the microwave with melting plastic or a possible spark or two.

(And for people who are afraid of putting metal in microwaves go watch mythbusters or read popular science. Or was it Popular Mechanics? Anyhow a guy melted metal in the microwave and the microwave worked fine after.)

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RE: Too slow & expensive

By stmok on 8/4/2006 5:52:58 AM , Rating: 2

Yeah, I think it was MythBusters...Put a CD in a microwave, set it on "High" for 2 or 3 minutes. BURN BABY BURN! Look at the pretty light show inside your microwave! :)

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RE: Too slow & expensive

By Vertigo101 on 8/4/2006 9:09:54 AM , Rating: 2

I'm pretty sure you mean 2 or 3 seconds. That's plenty of time to trash a CD, and it's less likely to hurt anything.

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Pressed Discs?

By Phynaz on 8/3/2006 4:34:15 PM , Rating: 2

I'm somewhat doubtfull of that.

RE: Pressed Discs?

By dagamer34 on 8/3/2006 4:48:03 PM , Rating: 2

Well, if it's a sensitive word document, I don't think cutting a disc in half will actually do anythin unless you are pretty darn lucky and cut it where the data was stored.

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RE: Pressed Discs?

By TomZ on 8/3/2006 4:50:52 PM , Rating: 2

Well, the point is to make it cost prohibitive to recover the data, not to make it impossible. I'm not a criminal, so I'm not concerned about the FBI expending lots of effort to recover my data.

(Not implying that you are a criminal, just making the point that scissors provides a "reasonable" amount of security.)

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Anything else besides erasing?

By ChugokuOtaku on 8/4/2006 8:57:15 AM , Rating: 2

Why couldn't they incorporate erasing features of this disk toaster into a regular DVD+/-RW drive?

RE: Anything else besides erasing?

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 8/4/2006 11:38:52 AM , Rating: 2

Need some way to unload their large stock of drives.

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Too slow

By Griswold on 8/3/2006 4:24:07 PM , Rating: 2

6 minutes for one disc?

Imagine you have to get rid of all the pirated software, music, movies and pr0n while the cops are kicking your door in...

Scissors do more work per minute and cost less. Or try the microwave.. might have to buy a new one after, but hey.

Pretty much useless

By INeedCache on 8/3/2006 6:21:46 PM , Rating: 2

I'll give it a 0 on a scale of 1 to 10 for usefulness.

I worked at a place that had a special shredder...

By SilthDraeth on 8/5/2006 4:48:47 PM , Rating: 2

The device was similar to those devices that polish your CDs.

I believe those work by basically removing very thin layers of the bottom of the disk, to polish out any scratches etc.

This device, you stick the CD in it, and it only goes half way in, and then it turns on and rotates the disk, taking only 5 seconds, and shaves the top of the disk off. The only flaw, is all the shavings do not get trapped inside the device. So you end up with pixie dust all over anything near the shredder.

It's quite neat though.