nwipe is a storage erasure utility for Linux, developed from the dwipe program originally included in Darik’s Boot and Nuke. It provides tools for permanently removing data from storage devices using software overwriting and supported hardware sanitisation operations.
The program can erase individual drives or process multiple devices simultaneously. It provides a terminal-based interface for selecting devices, choosing erasure methods and monitoring progress, alongside options for command-line automation.
nwipe supports numerous recognised overwriting methods and can generate detailed PDF reports documenting completed operations. It also offers hardware-level sanitisation on compatible ATA and NVMe devices, an important capability for modern solid-state storage where ordinary overwriting cannot reliably reach every physical memory location.
Because erasure is destructive, devices should be selected carefully and the results verified before reuse or disposal.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Secure erasure – overwrites storage devices using selectable data destruction methods.
- Multiple methods – includes zero filling, random overwriting, DoD methods, Gutmann, Schneier, HMG IS5 and BMB21-2019.
- Hardware sanitisation – supports firmware-assisted block erasure, cryptographic erasure and sanitisation overwriting on compatible ATA and NVMe devices.
- Parallel operation – erases multiple storage devices concurrently.
- Terminal interface – provides interactive drive selection, configuration and progress monitoring.
- Random data generation – supports multiple pseudorandom generators including ChaCha20 and AES-256-CTR.
- Configurable I/O – offers automatic, direct and cached I/O modes.
- Performance optimisation – uses large aligned buffers for efficient storage operations.
- Hidden sector detection – identifies supported ATA Host Protected Area and Device Configuration Overlay settings.
- PDF reporting – generates individual drive and system-wide erasure certificates.
- Audit information – records drive identifiers, SMART information and I/O errors when available.
- Customised certificates – supports company information, logos and additional reporting options.
- Device exclusions – allows specific devices to be excluded from erasure operations.
Website: github.com/martijnvanbrummelen/nwipe
Support:
Developer: Martijn van Brummelen and contributors
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
nwipe is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Handy Hard Disk Utilities | |
|---|---|
| NVMe-CLI | NVM-Express user space tooling |
| Smartmontools | Control and monitor storage systems using S.M.A.R.T. |
| scrutiny | WebUI for smartd S.M.A.R.T monitoring |
| openSeaChest | Perform various operations on SATA, SAS, NVMe, and USB storage devices |
| GSmartControl | Graphical user interface for smartctl |
| hdparm | Tune hard disk parameters for high performance |
| sg3_utils | Utilities that send SCSI commands to devices |
| sdparm | Accesses SCSI device parameters |
| nwipe | Secure disk eraser |
| Bonnie++ | Toolkit for testing hard drive and file system performance |
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