Some people will be relieved to know that, most of the time, deleted files are not permanently gone. Many of us have at one time or another accidentally deleted items we did not mean to. In this case, the ability to bring those files back from the dead is usually good news.
The bad news is that most people don’t think about these files unless they need to recover them. Moreover, most people don’t realize they’re not actually gone.
What if someone else wanted to get these deleted files? How could they do it? And could you stop them?
What really happens when you delete a file?
When you drag a folder into the trash bin on your desktop, all you’re doing is deleting the file system — the road the operating system takes to retrieve the data. The file still exists on the hard drive and could easily be retrieved with recovery software. So, just because you can’t see a file in the directory after it’s been deleted doesn’t mean that it’s not there. This is a security issue most computer users do not take seriously until it’s too late.
Deleted files are at risk
Cybercriminals and hackers can gain access to personal information stored in your computer even after you think you’ve deleted the files. This includes everything from financial documents to scanned images. If you think those files are gone because they’ve been deleted, think again. Having a security suite like Norton Security will give you all the protection you need to keep your device safe. But what happens to your device after you discard it?
Computer forensics is a common term in today’s news headlines and usually refers to the recovery of illegal files, information, or content from a confiscated computer. However, cybercriminals utilize the same techniques and tool as government agencies and law enforcement to access deleted files.