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srm:tldr:301bb

srm: Remove a file after seven passes of overwriting with random data.
$ srm -m ${filename}
try on your machine

The command srm -m ${filename} is used to securely delete a file from a system.

Here's a breakdown of each component of the command:

  • srm: It is the command name and stands for "secure remove". It is typically used on Unix-like systems to securely delete files by overwriting their contents before removing them. The purpose is to prevent any possibility of recovering the deleted data.

  • -m: It is an option that specifies the method used for secure removal. The ${filename} is a placeholder for the actual file name that you want to delete.

Therefore, when you execute srm -m ${filename}, the command will find the file specified by ${filename} and overwrite its contents with random data multiple times before finally removing it from the system. This provides an increased level of security compared to a normal file deletion.

This explanation was created by an AI. In most cases those are correct. But please always be careful and never run a command you are not sure if it is safe.
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