Multipass erase for iPhone

As the 3G iPhone is set to be unveiled on Monday, many users will switch out their first edition models, and with concerns about recoverable user data, users should be prepared for how to ensure that their data is gone for good. CNET writes that it is possible to perform a rudimentary multiple-pass wipe of data during the restore process to ensure personal data is eliminated, even when it appears to be missing from the iPhone post-restore.

The process involves creating three playlists that have the same physical size as the entire user data set on the iPhone. Users should also change all passwords from within the iPhone. Once these steps are complete, the iPhone can be restored.

Upon restoring the phone, users uncheck every sync option, and then synchronize the first music list. Once the list is synced, users move onto the second, and then the third, unchecking the previous list as they go. In essence, the synchronizations wipe the previous set of data consecutively, muddling recoverable data with each pass.

Users then restore the iPhone after the final list has been synced, which can be done from another computer to ensure that no personal data is being loaded onto the device

by MacNN Staff