Millennium Post

SELLING YOUR PHONE?

Ensure data is erased, not just formatted

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Before disposing off old gadgets like hard disk drives or mobile phones, you need to ensure that data is securely wiped – not just formatted – by a recognised software data erasure to avoid passing sensitive data to strangers, hackers and cyber criminals, warns a study.

The findings, applicable to both individual­s and corporates, showed that nearly all hard disk drives available on second-hand marketplac­e sites contain a huge amount of confidenti­al data.

“Most consumers in India are unaware that data can be recovered from their legacy drives and mobiles and steps like formatting are not enough for ensuring data privacy,” said the study by data migration solutions provider Stellar Data Recovery.

Consequent­ly there is a grave risk of private and confidenti­al data from these legacy devices being passed onto the buyer of such devices.

The study exposed the non-familiarit­y of the vast majority of Indians with data sanitisati­on methods, often referred to as data erasure methods or data wipe methods, wipe algorithms, and data wipe standards.

As part of the study, multiple hard disk drives were purchased from a major online platform which facilitate­s buying and selling of secondhand products.

For the sample collected, sensitive and highrisk data was uncovered in 100 per cent of the cases, the study released this week said.

The researcher­s found that the majority of the drives purchased for this study were formatted but not wiped using any correct method.

After running a simple ‘Do It Yourself ’ data recovery software available online, huge amounts of data contained in the files was recovered in a short period.

In one such hard disk drive, the comprehens­ive business details of an automotive showroom, including monthly sales, historical sales records, pricing list, feedback forms and complete customer informatio­n comprising names, addresses and contact numbers was identified.

In another case, complete personal informatio­n comprising name, age, PAN card details, date of birth, phone contact list, bank statement, credit card statements, personal photograph­s, software, music and videos were recovered.

The study also highlighte­d that not only are individual­s at risk for identity theft and leakage of sensitive personal informatio­n but also the companies are at an increased business risk and financial risk as well.

Erasing data using a regulatory compliance software is a sustainabl­e technique over physically destroying the storage media, said Stellar Data Recovery.

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