What you don’t know about your file shredder, history eraser, or similar program may wipe your entire system!

Please read this important computer security tip to find out how to prevent this from happening to you.

What can be so destructive? Directory Junctions! If you don't know what a directory junction is, don't worry, you are not alone.

A directory junction is a geeky term for a link that redirects a reference from one directory to another directory on the same machine. In the Unix world it's called a symbolic link. In the Windows world it’s called a directory junction, or junction point. Junction points were introduced with Windows 2000 and NTFS 3.0.

Directory junctions can be most destructive when an application (or you yourself) performs a destructive recursive traversal of a directory (or folder). That’s when you or an application performs a destructive action on the entire contents of a folder or directory, such as deleting, cleaning, or wiping that folder. For example, an administrator wanting to clean out the entire contents of his c:\temp folder would issue this recursive command: rd /s c:\temp. This would delete the entire c:\temp folder, including anything in any other folder within c:\temp. But, if an attacker has set a trap by making c:\temp\mytrap point to c:\windows\system32 by using a directory junction, that administrator would unknowingly wipe out his entire system folder!

Likewise, if a destructive application, such as a File Shredder, Internet History Cleaner, or similar program, fails to detect directory junctions, the results could be catastrophic!

How Can You Protect Yourself?

If you use a File Shredding program or Web History Eraser, or similar program, you should make sure that it follows secure coding methods and that it can detect and avoid directory junctions.

AceErase File Shredder and History Eraser automatically detects and recognizes directory junctions, warns you when one is found, and avoids traversing through them. Shred safely with AceErase!