GNU bug report logs - #24661
shred: allow running shred on directories

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 24661 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 24661 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Mohammed Sadiq <sadiq <at> sadiqpk.org>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: [RFE] Allow running shred on directories
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 22:56:49 +0530

This is a request for enhancement.

It might be nice to allow users to run shred on directories which
would recursively shred the directory and its contents. This may be
limited to happen only when `-u' flag is used.

Possible use case:
1. The user have to delete several files, along with nested directories.
    shred command on directory may shred each containing files and
shred them, then rename the directory to 000... (The same way as files
are handled).

I find overwriting with Zeros a nice idea, but I have no lazy way to
do that for directories with any available tools.

Thanks

Message #8 received at 24661 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Assaf Gordon <assafgordon <at> gmail.com>
To: Mohammed Sadiq <sadiq <at> sadiqpk.org>, 24661 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#24661: [RFE] Allow running shred on directories
Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2018 01:05:38 -0600

retitle 24661 shred: allow running shred on directories
severity 24661 wishlist
tags 24661 wontfix
close 24661
stop

(triaging old bugs)

On 2016-10-10 11:26 a.m., Mohammed Sadiq wrote:
> This is a request for enhancement.
> 
> It might be nice to allow users to run shred on directories which
> would recursively shred the directory and its contents. This may be
> limited to happen only when `-u' flag is used.
> 

It seems your message was lost and not replied to in 2 years.
Sorry about that.

Regarding shredding subdirectories,
this suggestion has been previously discussed, and deemed undesired
for shred, as there are other tools that can be used to shred files
recursively (e.g. combined with find/xargs).

For details, see:
https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/rejected_requests.html#shred

As such, I'm closing this bug.

regards,
 -assaf

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.