Final answer:
To ensure a document cannot be read by anyone else after deletion, use a secure deletion process involving file shredding software, which overwrites the file multiple times with random data, rendering it irrecoverable.
Step-by-step explanation:
To delete a document from your computer so that it cannot possibly be read by anyone else, you need to perform a process known as secure deletion or file shredding. Simply deleting a file or even emptying the recycle bin does not actually remove the data; it only removes the file's reference in the file system, making the space available for new data. However, the original data often remains on the hard drive until it's overwritten, which means it can potentially be recovered with specialized software.
To ensure that a file cannot be recovered, you can use a file shredding software. These programs overwrite the file with random data several times. This process, sometimes known as data sanitization, makes it extremely difficult for anyone to recover the original information. Examples of such software include Eraser for Windows or the 'shred' command for Unix-based systems. For an added measure of security, some individuals also physically destroy the hard drive after wiping the data electronically.