BitBurn

Sometimes delete isn’t enough — you’re decommissioning a drive, handing a laptop back, or getting rid of sensitive files and you want them genuinely gone. BitBurn overwrites files, folders, and free space so the data isn’t recoverable with normal undelete tools, and it does it from a desktop window, a drag-and-drop, or a right-click in Explorer.

It is deliberately destructive. That’s the point. Use it only when you’re certain the selected data should not come back.

What it does

• Wipes individual files.
• Wipes multiple selected files.
• Wipes folders/directories.
• Wipes free space on a selected drive.
• Supports drag and drop.
• Shows real-time operation progress.
• Supports cancellable operations where possible.
• Can add a Windows Explorer context menu entry.
• Can start with Windows from a tray toggle.

Wiping algorithms

Algorithm	Passes	Best for
NIST 800-88 Clear	1	Fast clearing of non-sensitive data
NIST 800-88 Purge	3	Sensitive data with a balance of speed and assurance
Gutmann	35	Legacy magnetic media and maximum overwrite coverage
Random	1-35	User-controlled random overwrite passes

Modern SSDs, wear leveling, snapshots, and filesystem journaling can complicate any overwrite-based secure deletion tool. For highly sensitive SSD disposal, use drive firmware secure erase or full-disk encryption key destruction where appropriate.

Requirements

• Windows 10 or later.
• Administrator privileges for system files, protected folders, or some drive operations.
• Rust, Node.js, and npm only if building from source.

Network paths are not supported. Symlinks are not followed, which prevents accidental wiping outside the selected tree.

Install

Download the latest build from:

https://github.com/Swatto86/BitBurn/releases

Run BitBurn, then use the tray menu if you want to enable the Explorer context menu or Windows autostart.

First wipe

1. Open BitBurn.
2. Choose Wipe Files/Folders or drag files into the window.
3. Select the target files or folders.
4. Choose the wiping algorithm and pass count.
5. Review the selected targets carefully.
6. Confirm the operation.
7. Monitor progress until completion.

Free-space wiping

Free-space wiping overwrites unallocated space on a drive. Use it after deleting files normally when you want to reduce recovery chances for already-deleted data.

1. Choose Wipe Drive Free Space.
2. Select the target drive.
3. Choose an algorithm.
4. Confirm the target drive before starting.

Free-space wiping can take a long time and may temporarily consume most free disk space while it works.

Explorer context menu

On Windows, BitBurn can add a context menu entry for files and folders:

1. Right-click the BitBurn tray icon.
2. Enable Explorer Context Menu.
3. In Explorer, right-click selected files or folders.
4. Choose BitBurn.
5. Pick the algorithm and confirm.

The context menu supports multi-selection with path validation.

Safety notes

• Wiped data cannot be recovered through normal undelete tools.
• Operations cannot be undone.
• Check the target list before confirming.
• Do not wipe files that may still be in use.
• Prefer closing applications before wiping their files.
• Keep backups of anything you may need later.

Build from source

git clone https://github.com/Swatto86/BitBurn.git
cd bitburn
npm install
npm run tauri dev

Build production bundle:

npm run tauri build

Run tests:

npm test

Troubleshooting

Access denied

Run BitBurn as Administrator or choose a target your account can modify.

Tray or context menu problems

Make sure bundled icons are present in packaged builds. The tray initialization fails fast when required icons are missing.

Wiping is slow

Large files, folder trees, high pass counts, and free-space wiping can take a long time. Use NIST Clear when speed is more important than multiple overwrites.

Links

• GitHub: https://github.com/Swatto86/BitBurn
• Releases: https://github.com/Swatto86/BitBurn/releases

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