srm (Secure RM)

srm, or Secure RM, is a cool open-source command-line tool that swaps out the regular 'rm' command you usually find in Linux systems with a much safer version. This tool is all about making sure your files are really gone when you delete them.

How Does srm Work?

The magic of srm lies in how it handles file deletion. Instead of just removing the files like the standard rm command does, srm goes a step further. It actually overwrites the contents of your files before it deletes them. This means it's way tougher for anyone to recover anything you've tossed out.

Why Use srm?

We believe that this awesome tool should be the go-to option on all GNU/Linux systems, or at least as a backup for the regular rm command. It's perfect for anyone using workstations and laptops that are connected to the internet.

Installing srm

If you're ready to give srm a try on your GNU/Linux system, here's what you need to do: First, download the latest version from Softpas. Save it wherever you want, then extract it. Open up your terminal emulator and navigate to where you extracted the files.

Next, type in the command ./configure && make (without quotes) to set things up and compile the program.

Getting Started with srm

Once everything compiles successfully, installing is easy! Just run make install as root or use sudo—again, no quotes needed! To start using srm, simply type srm, followed by the file name you want to securely remove from your drive.

srm Compatibility

You might be wondering if srm works with other operating systems too. Great news—it does! Besides Linux, it’s compatible with FreeBSD and Microsoft Windows as well. The software is written entirely in C and comes as a single source archive that lets you tweak it for either 32-bit or 64-bit hardware platforms.