Your storage is like a book, with an index at the beginning. This index tells whatever computer reading it “the contents of “Math Homework 5.odt” start on page 100 and ends on page 125”, for example.
When a new file needs to be stored, the computer only has to quickly read the index, find a spot in the book with empty pages, and write the file on those pages.
Nkw, when you delete a file, the computer will only erase the index, which is much quicker. Math Homework 5.odt is gone so more another file can be written onto pages 100 through 125!
A thief getting their hands on your storage could still read the part with your file’s content on it, though, so it’s not safe!
“Secure delete” means the computer will not only erase the index entry, but even every letter from every page related to your file’s content. This takes a long time, but a thief trying to read those pages will simply see blank pages, so that’s why it’s safe!
ELI5 albeit a long one:
Your storage is like a book, with an index at the beginning. This index tells whatever computer reading it “the contents of “Math Homework 5.odt” start on page 100 and ends on page 125”, for example.
When a new file needs to be stored, the computer only has to quickly read the index, find a spot in the book with empty pages, and write the file on those pages.
Nkw, when you delete a file, the computer will only erase the index, which is much quicker. Math Homework 5.odt is gone so more another file can be written onto pages 100 through 125!
A thief getting their hands on your storage could still read the part with your file’s content on it, though, so it’s not safe!
“Secure delete” means the computer will not only erase the index entry, but even every letter from every page related to your file’s content. This takes a long time, but a thief trying to read those pages will simply see blank pages, so that’s why it’s safe!