FreeShred

FreeShred is a tool you can use to permanently remove files from your computer to prevent unauthorized PC users from recovering data with specialized software.

It can erase folders, Recycle Bin contents and Internet privacy-related data, as well as secure free space where file and folders were already deleted by sending them to Recycle Bin or using the Shift+Delete key combination. Multiple security algorithms and randomization types are supported.

The program's not wrapped in a setup pack, so you can save its files in a custom location on the disk and just double-click the .exe to launch it. No modifications are made to the Windows registry. However, the configuration files are changed on exit, and you must have .NET Framework installed.

As far as the interface is concerned, FreeShred adopts a large window with a rudimentary look.

You can create a new task by specifying the type between shredding a file, folder or Recycle Bin contents, along with the file or folder target, algorithm, and randomization mode.

Multiple tasks can be created and initialized at once in the pending queue. They can be removed from the list or re-arranged in any order, but it's not possible to edit their properties.

When it comes to the security algorithms, the application can overwrite data using 1 pass (British HMG Infosec Standard, FAST, NAVSO P-5239-26 RL, PseudoRandomData), 2 passes (German Federal Information Security), 3 passes (NAVSO P-5239-26 MFM, RCMP ITSG-06, US Air Force 5020, US DoD HD Disposition), 7 passes (Schneier's Algorithm, VSITR) or 35 passes (Gutmann).

As for the randomization type, you can instruct the tool to randomize the seed once for each pass (fast), once for each write operation (intermittent), or on every byte (dynamic).

Several plugins are included in the downloaded package and loaded by default into FreeShred. But you can access the plugins manager to disable any extra function. For example, you can set up new algorithm profiles to overwrite data with a random number of passes, custom byte data (up to three symbols), or opposite pass type.

You can wipe free disk space on any selected partition (including removable and network drives), and securely erase Internet history, temporary files and cookies.

It didn't hog system resources in our tests and carried out tasks in a decent amount of time, without hanging, crashing or prompting error messages. Although the interface needs improvements, FreeShred comes equipped with powerful features dedicated to data wiping.