Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Secure Erase VS Active@ KillDisk

Compare Secure Erase VS Active@ KillDisk and see what are their differences

Secure Erase logo Secure Erase

Secure Erase is a new utility that accounts for your data privacy allows you to wipe data from your device, making it unusable and ensuring your privacy.

Active@ KillDisk logo Active@ KillDisk

Active@ KillDisk allows you to destroy all data on hard and floppy drives completely, excluding any possibility of future recovery of deleted files and folders.
  • Secure Erase Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-15
  • Active@ KillDisk Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-04

Secure Erase features and specs

  • Thorough data removal
    Secure Erase is designed to completely remove all data from a hard drive by overwriting every track and sector, ensuring that data recovery is virtually impossible.
  • Speed
    Compared to other data wiping methods, Secure Erase can be faster because it uses manufacturer-provided commands to optimize the data removal process.
  • Built into drives
    Secure Erase utilizes commands that are integrated into the firmware of modern hard drives, eliminating the need for additional software.
  • Compliance
    Using Secure Erase may help in meeting industry standards and compliance requirements for data destruction and privacy protection.

Possible disadvantages of Secure Erase

  • Limited to certain drives
    Secure Erase can only be used with drives that support the ATA Secure Erase command, which may not include older drives or some newer SSDs.
  • Complexity
    Executing a Secure Erase may require specific knowledge or tools to initiate the process, potentially complicating its use for non-technical users.
  • Potential firmware issues
    There is a possibility of encountering firmware glitches or malfunctions when executing a Secure Erase, which could render the drive inoperable.
  • Wear and tear
    Executing a Secure Erase involves significant read/write operations that can induce wear and tear, particularly in SSDs, potentially shortening their lifespan.

Active@ KillDisk features and specs

  • Data Erasure Standards Compliance
    Active@ KillDisk adheres to numerous international data sanitization standards, such as DoD 5220.22-M and NIST 800-88, ensuring that data is erased securely and meets regulatory requirements.
  • Versatility
    The tool supports both HDD and SSD drives and can be used to erase data from various devices including servers, desktops, and laptops. This versatility makes it suitable for a wide range of use cases.
  • Bootable Disk Creation
    Active@ KillDisk allows users to create bootable USB drives, CDs, and DVDs for data erasure, making it easy to wipe data from systems that cannot boot into an operating system.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The software features a straightforward, easy-to-navigate interface, reducing the learning curve for new users and streamlining the data erasure process.
  • Custom Erasure Options
    Users can select from various erasure methods, such as writing zeros, ones, or random data, providing flexibility based on specific security needs.

Possible disadvantages of Active@ KillDisk

  • Cost
    While there is a free version available, some advanced features and higher levels of support require purchasing a professional license, which could be expensive for individual users or small businesses.
  • Time-Consuming Process
    Comprehensive data erasure, especially with multiple overwrite passes, can be time-consuming, particularly for larger drives or lower-performance systems.
  • Irrecoverable Data
    Once data has been erased using Active@ KillDisk, it cannot be recovered, which means users must be absolutely certain before they proceed with the operation.
  • Limited OS Support for Bootable Version
    While the bootable version is highly useful, the creation process is limited to certain operating systems, potentially posing challenges for users on platforms not supported for boot disk creation.
  • Potential Compatibility Issues
    There may be occasional compatibility issues with some hardware, requiring users to check for updates or troubleshoot to ensure successful data erasure.

Analysis of Active@ KillDisk

Overall verdict

  • Active@ KillDisk is a reputable and effective tool for data erasure. It provides a high level of security and peace of mind for anyone needing to permanently delete data. While it may have a cost associated, the features and reliability it offers justify the expense, especially for those who handle sensitive data regularly.

Why this product is good

  • Active@ KillDisk is known for its effectiveness in securely erasing data from hard drives and other storage devices. It complies with various international data sanitation standards, which makes it a reliable tool for permanently deleting sensitive information beyond recovery. It is particularly appreciated for its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features that cater to both professionals and individual users.

Recommended for

    Active@ KillDisk is recommended for IT professionals, businesses, and individuals who need to ensure that their sensitive data is irretrievably erased. It is particularly useful for companies that are decommissioning old hardware, transferring devices to different departments, or reselling them, as well as for individual users who want to securely wipe personal data.

Secure Erase videos

No Secure Erase videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Active@ KillDisk videos

How to use Active@ KillDisk 11 (Windows and Linux platforms)?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Secure Erase and Active@ KillDisk)
Monitoring Tools
59 59%
41% 41
Data Eraser
100 100%
0% 0
File Management
0 0%
100% 100
CRM
59 59%
41% 41

User comments

Share your experience with using Secure Erase and Active@ KillDisk. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Secure Erase seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Secure Erase mentions (2)

  • How can I obliterate a laptop so I can do a fresh install?
    The fresh windows install option should clear everything out in a secure fashion. But if you're really worried about chinese spyware or something that would somehow stick around, you can look at bootable secure erase USB software. This is what you'd want to look at. There are other tools too, those work pretty well. Although certain tools only work with an HDD or an SSD, though some do both. But just know that... Source: over 2 years ago
  • 2017 MacBook Pro reset
    Since the drive is soldered in, best you can do is use something like secureerase (https://cmrr.ucsd.edu/resources/secure-erase.html). Source: almost 3 years ago

Active@ KillDisk mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Active@ KillDisk yet. Tracking of Active@ KillDisk recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Secure Erase and Active@ KillDisk, you can also consider the following products

File Shredder - File Shredder is free desktop application for shredding (destroying) unwanted files beyond recovery.

iShredder - PROTECTSTAR is a leader in providing Secure Deletion (Erasure) software products: PROTECTSTAR has served more than 2,000,000 customers worldwide and earned a reputation as a leader in providing innovative security solutions.

Secure Eraser - Secure data deletion, shredders your files & folders.

Eraser - Eraser is an advanced security tool (for Windows), which allows you to completely remove sensitive...

OW Shredder - a security tool, that allows you to completely erase sensitive data from your computer.

Blancco Secure Data Eraser - Blancco Secure Data Eraser is a user-friendly software that is designed to top leading organizations of all sizes to safely resell, respond or dispose of drives when they have reached end-of-life for security, compliance, and CSR purposes.