Paper Torn with a Document Shredder Can Be Reconstructed

11 aug 2008

You may feeling safe after tearing all those “secret” documents into tiny strips of paper using the shredding machine in the Office but wait, there’s a Windows software that can recreate the originals even from those torn noodle-like pieces.

paper-shred

Called Unshredder, this software analyses all the torn pieces of paper and reconstructs the original document without requiring human intervention.

shredder

Of course you’ll first need to scan those pieces into the computer using a scanner machine but this is anytime more efficient method than asking an employee. Pic: Flickr.

http://www.enidhi.com Shrinidhi Hande

I guess then we need to improve the document shredder to not only cut the paper but also burn it into ash…
JohnB

Are you safe if you tear the paper into little pieces by hand? Can it work on credit cards to?
http://wheelosphere.org George

@shrinidhi for a time being it may work, at a later stage that may not work
@JohnB you are in danger zone according to Amit but dont worry :-)
http://digiwar.blogspot.com/ shankar

wow its a great stuff.very creative indeed.I thought its impossible.
Me

This is nice, way easier than scanning every single strip and edit in photoshop, save it, etc. and then the puzzle begins. Using this software one saves the Photoshop part. Nice.
GeorgeC

I used to work for a defense contractor on a classified project. We used an incinerator to burn all our classified waste until California told us to stop (it was adding to the air pollution). After that we switched to a grinder. Even better than a crosscut shredder; it cut the paper into pieces so small that each piece was smaller than a single letter.
http://www.sciencetext.com David Bradley

I use a cross-shredder it produces confetti rather than strips, it would be next to impossible to get reconstruct, especially as I add the shredded paper to our compost bins and turn it over thoroughly with all the rotting garden mush!
James Melvin

Most “mil-spec” shredders nowadays cut the document into pieces that are about 1 x 1/4″ and THEN coat the resultant confetti with vegetable oil so that what your left with is a greasy, pulpy mess.
http://cat3illa.com catzilla

Or you could burn it afterwards.
T.Hay

Some of you have logical thoughts, but most government, especially military, agencies use “shredders” which tear the paper into pieces small enough (like GeorgeC said) smaller than letters. Manny grinder the paper so fine, it’s like dust when the paper has gone through.
Chris

See the thing is that any shredder that meets shredding confidentiality requirements must cut into cross cut of 1×1+1/4 or smaller. If this works on that, then I’ll be impressed.
Mephisto

Better yet, don’t use paper at all.
http://www.nichebloggertoday.com Jonathan Thomas

You could just put all the images in Photoshop then merge them all like you would a panorama.

Technology, Software and Internet

Paper Torn with a Document Shredder Can Be Reconstructed

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