الخميس، 26 أبريل 2018

Cell Phone Forensics On Clearing Data

By Gary Cook


Everyone has a secret in the phone that you would not like exposed. It could be a photo, message, file, link, or anything that would compromise your position. When you want to give away the handset or sell it, such information needs to be cleared to prevent it from falling into unsafe hands. Cell phone forensics experts have recommended ways you can protect information from compromise.

Use the factory reset option. This is the first resort for most people and devices. It is meant to clear all information and settings that have been altered since the handset began to be used. Some phones work by locking handsets from setting alteration. This might not work if you are selling or giving it since it will be useless to the receiver. However, it still provides a reasonable deal of information protection.

Resetting factory settings does not wipe out data. It only locks it in a place that is irretrievable through your handset. With advancement in technology, such information may be retrieved with ease. If someone employs off-the-shelf techniques and technology, your secret information will be retrieved leading to compromise. You therefore need more advanced ways of concealing the information and erasing it completely from the system.

Modern technology has enabled data encryption to protect your information. Certain phones offer this option as a default setting while you have to activate the function on other phones. Encrypted messages demand a retrieval code to access the information. Without this code or a secret PIN, your information will be safe. You have to ensure that you do not share this key or code with third parties.

Some mobile phones have in-built encryption capabilities. Others require you to download certain applications. In fact, certain apps guarantee encryption of data that is transferred through them. In the era of hacking, encryption is only temporary reprieve because even highly secure apps have been hacked in the past.

Data can be protected by overwriting it. Devices will provide that option when you are saving information or files. It works by erasing the existing ones and writing others over them. Like resetting, overwriting only provides temporary reprieve where advanced technology can lead to access. A hacker is still capable of accessing this information.

External memory devices like SIM cards and SD cards should be removed. They are storage devices which hold files and information that you may consider confidential. Once you remove them from the phone, all the information that was stored in them disappears and cannot be accessed by the phones again. It can only be accessed once the cards are returned. This option will only work if you had chosen external storage for your data.

Technology advancement regarding information retrieval has complicated concealing. Even leaving a handset clean does not guarantee permanent hiding. The only guarantee most of these methods offer is inability to access by ordinary users. Phones provide directions on deleting information. Follow these directions to be on the safe side. However, the ultimate option when considering information security is to avoid having it on your handset if it posses any danger.




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