Patent ID: 7710591

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image data input unit configured to take in image data; an image data memory unit configured to save image data inputted through the image data input unit; a data output unit configured to output the image data saved in the image data memory unit in a specific format; an erasing selection unit configured to request a user to make a selection as to whether or not an erasing manipulation for image data as an erasure object is to be executed after the image data is outputted by the data output unit; a data erasing unit configured to write random data over the image data and erase FAT information of the image data if the user selects that the erasing manipulation of the image data is to be executed, and erase the FAT information of the image data alone if the user selects that the erasing manipulation of the image data is not to be executed; a timer set unit configured to set a grace time during which the user is able to respond to the selection request from the erasing selection unit; and a controller configured to control the data erasing unit to erase the FAT information of the image data alone if the user failed to respond to a selection request from the erasing selection unit within the grace time.