# Help Needed to wipe a cellphone and/or a tablet with FreeBSD



## SQKILL2 (Jun 14, 2021)

Ok so here's the thing.: 
I'm trying to purify/wipe cellphones and tablets in a safe and secure manner by using any app/program/port made for wiping HDDs and SSDs. Right now, I've tried using BCwipe to wipe the device "ugen0.2" (which is the phone I want to wipe) but it keeps resulting in an I/O error every time. I've tried creating a mount directory for the phone to dump everything in it like in a "single-way" back-up or recovery procedure (move everything in a specified directory and factory resetting at the same time). But neither worked... So I was wondering if anyone could help me with that. 

The reason I'm trying to wipe cellphones and tablets is for my job where we refurbish computers, laptops and mobile devices for schools, we need a wiping procedure that can wipe anything securely or, at the very least, we need multiple wiping solutions all regrouped on the same platform (so we can wipe HDDs, SSDs, mSATA, SATA M.2s, NVMe M.2s, SD cards, flash memory, etc. on a single computer with freeBSD). 

Btw, just to be clear, I'm a noob at using FreeBSD. I'm still learning how to use it...


----------



## datasmurf (Jun 22, 2021)

As far as it concerns Mobile Devices with Android, I do not believe that your approach will have success. You could try your luck with `android-tools-fastboot-29.0.6_1`. But the time you probably need to get the device into recovery mode (if even possible) to format the flash, a Factory Reset via Android System would be still quicker.


----------



## mark_j (Jun 22, 2021)

For phones? https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/mount-android-phone-using-mtpfs.75653/

For any disk (ssd,nvme,hard,sdcard etc), just plug it in to FreeBSD and dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/<device> bs=??M
Done, device is junk but still usable. Added bonus, destroys partition tables! To be extra sure, do it twice.


----------



## SQKILL2 (Jun 22, 2021)

The problem with factory reset is that the data are still recoverable. What I'm trying to do is wipe phones so the data are NOT recoverable. What I need is something or a way to wipe phones and tablets the same way Blancco does (Total wipe beyond recovery)


----------



## mtu (Jun 22, 2021)

Throwing the phone into a river is the only way to be sure. Even if you got low-level access, who knows if the internal SSD even zeroes or TRIMs its memory when you think it does? Unless you're on a first-name basis with the storage controller of the specific phone model you're trying to wipe, there's no way to achieve the level of security you're looking for.


----------



## SQKILL2 (Jun 22, 2021)

RIP then... Thanks for letting me know at least.


----------



## a6h (Jun 23, 2021)

OK so here's the deal:
If you don't have root access to the phone, it's impossible. STFW and see if you can find instructions about how to root your phone -- I presume it's android. BTW the best phone to get de-Google-d are phones made of Google! And next to that list is Samsung phones. Why? Because they're very root-able, HowTos and DIY instructions are widely available on the web/video, and finally you really have to jump through hoops to make a break out of your phone. P.S> Be carefull with Lenovo phones and tablets.


----------

