BitBurn - Secure File & Drive Wiping Utility

BitBurn is a modern, secure file and drive wiping utility built with Rust and Tauri. It provides multiple industry-standard data erasure algorithms and a user-friendly interface for securely wiping files, folders, and drive free space.

Features

• Multiple Wiping Algorithms:

  • NIST 800-88 Clear (1-pass)
  • NIST 800-88 Purge (3-pass)
  • Gutmann (35-pass)
  • Custom Random (1-35 passes)

• Explorer Context Menu (Windows):

  • Optional BitBurn entry on file/folder right-click that launches directly into shredding
  • Managed from the tray icon via a single toggle (Enable/Disable Explorer Context Menu)
  • Multi-selection support with path validation

• Autostart (Windows):

  • Tray toggle to enable/disable starting BitBurn with Windows

• Flexible Wiping Options:

  • Single file wiping
  • Multiple file selection
  • Folder/directory wiping
  • Drive free space wiping
  • Drag and drop support

• Security Features:

  • Secure random number generation
  • Proper file synchronization
  • Complete data overwriting
  • Verification of write operations

• User Interface:

  • Modern, intuitive design
  • Dark/Light theme support
  • Real-time progress tracking
  • Detailed operation feedback
  • System tray integration (tray menu includes context menu toggle and autostart toggle on Windows)
  • Cancellable operations

  Quick Start

  • Install dependencies: npm install
  • Dev (frontend + Tauri): npm run tauri dev
  • Build production bundle: npm run tauri build
  • Backend/frontend tests: npm test (runs vitest and cargo tests)

  Platform Notes

  • System tray requires bundled icons; missing icons cause tray init to fail fast. Ensure icons/ is present when packaging.

Wiping Algorithms

NIST 800-88 Clear

• Single pass with zeros
• Quick and effective for most modern storage devices
• Suitable for non-sensitive data

NIST 800-88 Purge

• Three-pass overwrite:
  1. All zeros
  2. All ones
  3. Random data
• Recommended for sensitive data
• Provides good balance of security and speed

Gutmann Method

• 35-pass overwrite with specific patterns
• Designed for magnetic media
• Includes:
  • 4 random passes
  • 27 specific patterns
  • 4 final random passes
• Maximum security for legacy storage devices

Random

• User-configurable number of passes (1-35)
• Cryptographically secure random data
• Customizable security level
• Suitable for modern storage devices

Usage

Windows Explorer Context Menu & Autostart

• Right-click the tray icon and use the toggles to enable/disable the Explorer context menu and Windows autostart.
• In Explorer, right-click files/folders and choose BitBurn; the app opens a modal where you can pick the wipe algorithm and passes before shredding.

1. File/Folder Wiping:

   • Click "Wipe Files/Folders" or drag files into the application
   • Select files/folders to wipe
   • Choose wiping algorithm
   • Confirm operation
   • Monitor progress

2. Drive Free Space Wiping:

   • Click "Wipe Drive Free Space"
   • Select target drive
   • Choose wiping algorithm
   • Confirm operation
   • Monitor progress

Security Considerations

• Files erased with BitBurn cannot be recovered
• Operations cannot be undone
• Administrator privileges may be required for some operations
• Network paths are not supported for security reasons
• Symlinks are not followed to prevent security issues

System Requirements

• Windows 10 or later
• Administrator privileges for system files/drives
• Sufficient system resources for large operations

Technical Details

• Built with Rust and Tauri 2.0
• Uses cryptographically secure random number generation
• Implements proper file synchronization
• Includes comprehensive error handling
• Features atomic operations for data integrity
• Includes extensive test coverage

Development

Built using:

• Rust (Backend)
• Tauri 2.0 (Framework)
• React + TypeScript (Frontend)
• TailwindCSS (Styling)

Warning

⚠️ BitBurn is designed to permanently destroy data. Always verify selected files/drives before confirming operations. Wiped data cannot be recovered.

Author

BitBurn is developed by Steve Watson. Visit swatto.co.uk for more projects and information.

License

BitBurn is licensed under the MIT License.

Acknowledgments

• NIST 800-88 Guidelines for Media Sanitization
• Peter Gutmann's secure deletion paper
• The Rust and Tauri communities