On Sun, Aug 06, 2006 at 03:13:39PM +0100, Laurence Darby wrote:
> This is besides the point, but that wont work, and I'm not sure if you
> completely understand the situation. I *DON'T* want data to be
> recovered from the drive, and because I'm returning it under warranty, I
> want the data on it to be destroyed.

Aha!  I did misunderstand.

You shouldn't worry about this - the manufacturers are bound by
process requirements that prevent them from recovering data on RMAed
drives.  My employer is going through the process of becoming
certified for various government/banking/etc security processes.  Part
of it is verifying that sensitive data is not recoverable.

According to our compliance manager, sending a drive to RMA places
data security liability on the RMA facility as soon as they acceept
the package.  You'd be able to sue for damages if you did have
plaintext passwords that they leaked.

This still leaves a hole while the disk is in transit, but you can
only do so much...

-- 
Ross Vandegrift
ross AT kallisti DOT us

"The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who
make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians
have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine
man in the bonds of Hell."
        --St. Augustine, De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37