Hard drive destruction, BOFH style

[Niklas Karlsson]

I randomly came to think of a former cow-orker (and then non-PHB at a
later gig). He subscribed to the BOFH philosophy of always keeping a
LART handy, and it was a big orange ice pick. When we decommissioned a
bunch of servers, it was time to destroy the (mechanical) hard drives,
since they contained sensitive data.

His approach? Use the LART. It did kind of fsck up the painted concrete
floor he was doing it on, but I'm sure it was therapeutic. He failed to
use eye protection, but nothing happened.

Niklas

[Roger Bell_West]

Post by Niklas Karlsson
His approach? Use the LART. It did kind of fsck up the painted concrete
floor he was doing it on, but I'm sure it was therapeutic. He failed to
use eye protection, but nothing happened.

I've tried a sledgehammer, but while blunt trauma may mess up the
drive internally it doesn't do much to the outside. I suspect a big
chisel, in a rubber stand so that it stays where it's put until I hit
it with the hammer, may be the best bet.

I have a number of old hard drives marked "U/S" which I use as hammers
when I need to break a print free of the 3d printer.

[AdB]

Post by Niklas Karlsson
I randomly came to think of a former cow-orker (and then non-PHB at a
later gig). He subscribed to the BOFH philosophy of always keeping a
LART handy, and it was a big orange ice pick. When we decommissioned a
bunch of servers, it was time to destroy the (mechanical) hard drives,
since they contained sensitive data.

A pneumatic chisel does a good job, and some datacentres have compressors
(it seemed to be part of a dry-pipe fire suppression system).

I had at one point tried drilling holes through the drives, but even a
metal-drilling bit gets dull way too soon if you've got a pile of drives.

Post by Niklas Karlsson
His approach? Use the LART. It did kind of fsck up the painted concrete
floor he was doing it on, but I'm sure it was therapeutic. He failed to
use eye protection, but nothing happened.

Seriously, Always Wear Eye Protection. And if you're destroying hard
drives without hearing protection you may need to ensure that your method
is one that makes that advisable.

[Garrett Wollman]

Post by AdB
I had at one point tried drilling holes through the drives, but even a
metal-drilling bit gets dull way too soon if you've got a pile of drives.

This is what we do, on the drill press in the machine shop. I've
tried to convince them that it would be more entertaining to use the
water-jet cutter instead,[1] but that would apparently be too much work.

-GAWollman

[1] The laser cutter doesn't do metal AFAIK. Or at least not anything
thicker than foil.

[Niklas Karlsson]

Post by AdB

Post by Niklas Karlsson
His approach? Use the LART. It did kind of fsck up the painted concrete
floor he was doing it on, but I'm sure it was therapeutic. He failed to
use eye protection, but nothing happened.

Seriously, Always Wear Eye Protection. And if you're destroying hard
drives without hearing protection you may need to ensure that your method
is one that makes that advisable.

I don't disagree. I thought it was pretty luserish of him not to wear
any. This was not the only sign of testosterone overdose he displayed.

He was quite different when, a couple of years later, he became my
non-PHB at another place of orking. It appears becoming manglement made
him grow up. I consider that strong evidence that he was not
fundamentally a luser.

Niklas

[Julian Macassey]

Post by Niklas Karlsson
I randomly came to think of a former cow-orker (and then non-PHB at a
later gig). He subscribed to the BOFH philosophy of always keeping a
LART handy, and it was a big orange ice pick. When we decommissioned a
bunch of servers, it was time to destroy the (mechanical) hard drives,
since they contained sensitive data.
His approach? Use the LART. It did kind of fsck up the painted concrete
floor he was doing it on, but I'm sure it was therapeutic. He failed to
use eye protection, but nothing happened.

One of the most satisfying pastimes is making loud noises
and breaking things. When you are also destroying hated objects
it is more satisfying. Hard drives destroyed with a large sledge
hammer or to get fancy a high powered rifle is time well spent.

[Alan J. Wylie]

Post by Julian Macassey
One of the most satisfying pastimes is making loud noises
and breaking things. When you are also destroying hated objects
it is more satisfying. Hard drives destroyed with a large sledge
hammer or to get fancy a high powered rifle is time well spent.

On Wednesday, ICANN will be ceremonially destroying a hardware security
module that used to contain root zone KSKs

https://www.iana.org/dnssec/ceremonies/32

| 9. CA and Contractor performs the destruction of each HSM part
| repeatedly.

But how? It's a public event. Anyone near El Segundo interested in
finding out?

[Niklas Karlsson]

Post by Alan J. Wylie
On Wednesday, ICANN will be ceremonially destroying a hardware security
module that used to contain root zone KSKs
https://www.iana.org/dnssec/ceremonies/32
| 9. CA and Contractor performs the destruction of each HSM part
| repeatedly.
But how? It's a public event. Anyone near El Segundo interested in
finding out?

Oh my. I would _love_ to attend if I was not so far away.

I know some former cow-orkers[0] who would as well.

If any lurking or non-lurking Monk does attend, please provide a report!

Niklas

[0] I had a brief gig at the NIC for .se and .nu

[Julian Macassey]

Post by Alan J. Wylie
On Wednesday, ICANN will be ceremonially destroying a hardware security
module that used to contain root zone KSKs
https://www.iana.org/dnssec/ceremonies/32
| 9. CA and Contractor performs the destruction of each HSM part
| repeatedly.
But how? It's a public event. Anyone near El Segundo interested in
finding out?

One of their sysadmins used to work for me. I have
e-mailed him for further details.

Alas, I am no longer in the LA area, so I couldn't
attend.

[Julian Macassey]

On Sun, 4 Feb 2018 08:58:56 -0000 (UTC),

Post by Alan J. Wylie
On Wednesday, ICANN will be ceremonially destroying a hardware security
module that used to contain root zone KSKs
https://www.iana.org/dnssec/ceremonies/32
| 9. CA and Contractor performs the destruction of each HSM part
| repeatedly.

Also from the URL above:

| This ceremony will be held in El Segundo, California, USA, and
|observers must meet all costs in travelling to the ceremony.
|Requests should be submitted at least 45 days before the ceremony
|(i.e. by 24 December 2017)

So, the regsitration window is closed.

My buddy who slaves for ICAAN had this to say:

+ I have a sledge hammer, I have some hard drives that could use
+ some destruction, and I'm a short drive from where this is
+ happening at the moment. It's sure as fuck not going to take me
+ 4 and a half hours though..

[Steve VanDevender]

Post by Julian Macassey
+ I have a sledge hammer, I have some hard drives that could use
+ some destruction, and I'm a short drive from where this is
+ happening at the moment. It's sure as fuck not going to take me
+ 4 and a half hours though..

Some people have a lot more frustration to work out.

[AdB]

Post by Julian Macassey
it is more satisfying. Hard drives destroyed with a large sledge
hammer or to get fancy a high powered rifle is time well spent.

Speaking of which, why is it that the vernacular contains no mention of
low-powered rifles, or even medium-powered ones? Is it a canonical
kenning? Are they perhaps being compared with things that are not rifles
and which occupy the low end of the scale? Is this just a matter of
salesmanship applied to (for example) the puissant and mighty .22 Long
Rifle cartridge and the fearsome, yes, "high-powered" weapons which may
spew it forth? And of course anything that'll put your eye out is
something that should not be lightly dismissed.

[c***@mail.netunix.com]

Post by AdB

Post by Julian Macassey
it is more satisfying. Hard drives destroyed with a large sledge
hammer or to get fancy a high powered rifle is time well spent.

Speaking of which, why is it that the vernacular contains no mention of
low-powered rifles, or even medium-powered ones? Is it a canonical
kenning? Are they perhaps being compared with things that are not rifles
and which occupy the low end of the scale? Is this just a matter of
salesmanship applied to (for example) the puissant and mighty .22 Long
Rifle cartridge and the fearsome, yes, "high-powered" weapons which may
spew it forth? And of course anything that'll put your eye out is
something that should not be lightly dismissed.

One of pterry's last wishes was that the hard drive containing a number
of unfinished books should be taken to the Dorset Steam Fair and laid
in the pathe of the steam rollers parading in the main ring.
This was done and said drive became very flat.

[Julian Macassey]

Post by AdB

Post by Julian Macassey
it is more satisfying. Hard drives destroyed with a large sledge
hammer or to get fancy a high powered rifle is time well spent.

Speaking of which, why is it that the vernacular contains no mention of
low-powered rifles, or even medium-powered ones?

Like cars, no one talks about low powered cars, even when
discussing the Citroen 2CV.

There are low powered rifles, we just call them rifles.
But if the rifle can punch holes, it is referred to as a :High
powered rifle".