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I have some sensitive files encrypted with GPG. I want to have the option of quickly destroying the PGP keys for those files in case the files into the wrong hands.

Thumb drives look like they would be too hard to destroy. Printing the keys on paper would be easy to destroy but OCR is too unreliable.

Is there some other portable media which can easily be destroyed by burning or shredding?

Anonymous wrote:
> I have some sensitive files encrypted with GPG. I want to have the option of quickly destroying the PGP keys for those files in case the files into the wrong hands.
>
> Thumb drives look like they would be too hard to destroy. Printing the keys on paper would be easy to destroy but OCR is too unreliable.
>
> Is there some other portable media which can easily be destroyed by burning or shredding?

The more 'easily destroyable' your key is, the more likely it will
accidentally be destroyed...

Floppy disks may be the the answer. The innards can be accessed in a
fairly short time and burning would render them unreadable. Shredding
would render them unreadable to all but the most well-resourced attacker.

Why not encrypt file with a standard single file encryption/ partition
encryption and use a strong password/passphrase? That way you will not
need to destry GPG keys, you just don't give the password.

This does raise an interesting question. What _would_ be the best way to
store data that is secure, yet destroyable?

Bogwitch

On 5 Mar 2007 23:38:05 -0000, Anonymous <Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]>
wrote:

>
>I have some sensitive files encrypted with GPG. I want to have the option of quickly
>destroying the PGP keys for those files in case the files into the wrong hands.
>
>Thumb drives look like they would be too hard to destroy. Printing the keys on paper
>would be easy to destroy but OCR is too unreliable.

>Is there some other portable media which can easily be
>destroyed by burning or shredding?

You want portable media easily destroyed by shredding or fire. What media
doesn't fit that bill?

Floppy, CD-R, DVD-R, zip disk (maybe not shredding, but fire or smashing with a
hammer), LS-120 disks, SD Card, Mini-SD, Micro-SD, (in fact, all of the current
memory cards) are all easily disposed of, and all (save floppy) are pretty
reliable.

I'd have more trouble thinking of a portable media that is rugged.

On 5 Mar 2007 23:38:05 -0000, Anonymous
<Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]> wrote:

>
>I have some sensitive files encrypted with GPG. I want to have the option of quickly destroying the PGP keys for those files in case the files into the wrong hands.
>
>Thumb drives look like they would be too hard to destroy. Printing the keys on paper would be easy to destroy but OCR is too unreliable.
>
>Is there some other portable media which can easily be destroyed by burning or shredding?

Use a CD to destroy inset in a
microwave and fry for 20 seconds

Test is with an AOL disk
--
Jim Watt
http://www.gibnet.com

In article <9l2Hh.29499$>, Bogwitch <> wrote:

> Anonymous wrote:
> > I have some sensitive files encrypted with GPG. I want to have the option
> > of quickly destroying the PGP keys for those files in case the files into
> > the wrong hands.
> >
> > Thumb drives look like they would be too hard to destroy. Printing the keys
> > on paper would be easy to destroy but OCR is too unreliable.
> >
> > Is there some other portable media which can easily be destroyed by burning
> > or shredding?
>
> The more 'easily destroyable' your key is, the more likely it will
> accidentally be destroyed...

True, I'm dealing with that.


> Floppy disks may be the the answer. The innards can be accessed in a
> fairly short time and burning would render them unreadable. Shredding
> would render them unreadable to all but the most well-resourced attacker.

That's a good idea, I was hoping for something pocket sized though.

> Why not encrypt file with a standard single file encryption/ partition
> encryption and use a strong password/passphrase? That way you will not
> need to destry GPG keys, you just don't give the password.

I want to be able to testify truthfully as to what the password is and have that be useless because no keys can be found.

I also want to eliminate _any_ chance of the password being cracked by keeping the keys off of the computer which holds the files.

> This does raise an interesting question. What _would_ be the best way to
> store data that is secure, yet destroyable?


I don't know. Another thought is maybe a big magnet in the office, would that wipe out a thumb drive??


Thanks for your reply

Jim Watt <_way> wrote:

> Use a CD to destroy inset in a
> microwave and fry for 20 seconds
>
> Test is with an AOL disk

Do NOT test it with a Windows CD, though:
http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=19990228

Juergen Nieveler
--
He's not dead, Jim, he's metaphysically challenged

Anonymous <Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]> writes:


>In article <9l2Hh.29499$>, Bogwitch <> wrote:

>> Anonymous wrote:
>> > I have some sensitive files encrypted with GPG. I want to have the option
>> > of quickly destroying the PGP keys for those files in case the files into
>> > the wrong hands.
>> >
>> > Thumb drives look like they would be too hard to destroy. Printing the keys
>> > on paper would be easy to destroy but OCR is too unreliable.
>> >
>> > Is there some other portable media which can easily be destroyed by burning
>> > or shredding?
>>
>> The more 'easily destroyable' your key is, the more likely it will
>> accidentally be destroyed...

>True, I'm dealing with that.


>> Floppy disks may be the the answer. The innards can be accessed in a
>> fairly short time and burning would render them unreadable. Shredding
>> would render them unreadable to all but the most well-resourced attacker.

>That's a good idea, I was hoping for something pocket sized though.

>> Why not encrypt file with a standard single file encryption/ partition
>> encryption and use a strong password/passphrase? That way you will not
>> need to destry GPG keys, you just don't give the password.

>I want to be able to testify truthfully as to what the password is and have that be useless because no keys can be found.

It is in most jurisdictions illegal to destroy evidence.



>I also want to eliminate _any_ chance of the password being cracked by keeping the keys off of the computer which holds the files.

>> This does raise an interesting question. What _would_ be the best way to
>> store data that is secure, yet destroyable?


>I don't know. Another thought is maybe a big magnet in the office, would that wipe out a thumb drive??

No. they are not magnetic. And besides a big magnet will not even destroy
a hard drive or floppy disk. It needs to be a very verystrong alternating
magnetic field. But fire is far more effective.

>Thanks for your reply

Anonymous <Use-Author-Supplied-Address@[127.1]> wrote:

> I want to be able to testify truthfully as to what the password is and
> have that be useless because no keys can be found.

Where's the point in that? You can claim that it's the right password
as long as you like - nobody can verify that information, therefore the
people doing the interrogation will assume that you're still lying.

Juergen Nieveler
--
"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully"
George W. Bush --Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

On 6 Mar 2007 15:03:58 GMT, Juergen Nieveler
<> wrote:

>Jim Watt <_way> wrote:
>
>> Use a CD to destroy inset in a
>> microwave and fry for 20 seconds
>>
>> Test is with an AOL disk
>
>Do NOT test it with a Windows CD, though:
>http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=19990228

There is that possibility.

However, it is also worth mentioning that you
should only zap it for as long as necessary as
running your microwave without a load is bad for
the magnetron and really will 'crash' it.

Short of a heavy duty shredder its a good way
of disposing of optical media as breaking them
is messy.
--
Jim Watt
http://www.gibnet.com

On Tue, 6 Mar 2007 16:15:00 +0100 (CET), Unruh <unruh->
wrote:

<snip>

>It is in most jurisdictions illegal to destroy evidence.

<snip>

AFTER you have been presented with a subpeona. One can destroy evidence all day
long with no legal ramifications if it hasn't been requested. (in the US at
least)