These are tools discussed Learning Ransomware Response & Recovery by W. Curtis Preston and Dr. Mike Saylor. Browse the list of all tools or get the book.
Inclusion in this directory does not indicate endorsement.
If you see a missing tool, leave a comment!
These tools manage disk partitions, securely wipe data, repair boot records, and recover files from damaged or encrypted storage devices.
Wiping Tools
- DBAN – https://dban.org – Complete drive wiping (Darik’s Boot and Nuke)
- Blancco Drive Eraser – https://blancco.com/products/drive-eraser/– Enterprise-grade secure erasure software
WipeDrive – (Acquired by Blancco, no longer available) – Secure data erasure software
Partition & Disk Management
- GParted – https://gparted.org – Partition editor for viewing and managing all disk partitions
- TestDisk – https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk – Tool for revealing hidden partitions
- diskpart – Built-in Windows utility – Windows disk partitioning utility
- fdisk – Built-in Linux utility – Linux partition table manipulator
Boot Record Tools
- bootrec – Built-in Windows utility – Windows boot record repair tool
- bcdedit – Built-in Windows utility – Windows boot configuration editor
File Recovery
- Recuva – https://www.ccleaner.com/recuva – File recovery from encrypted/deleted systems
- PhotoRec – https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec – Data recovery tool for various file types
Manufacturer Disk Utilities (All Free)
Western Digital Data Lifeguard – Deprecated – WD drive diagnostics and low-level formatting- Western Digital Kitfox – Western Digital Kitfox – Replaces Data Lifeguard
- Seagate SeaTools – https://www.seagate.com/support/downloads/seatools/ – Seagate drive diagnostics and formatting
- Samsung Magician – https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/product/consumer/magician – Samsung SSD management including secure erase
- Intel SSD Toolbox – https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19520 – Intel SSD optimization and secure erase