Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Cell Phone Forensics On Wiping Out Data

By Gary Cook


Mobile phones hold some of the most treasured secrets. Everyone wants to wipe out data from the handset before selling or giving it away. In the age of data recovery, you might be surprised years down the line when your secrets are displayed in public. Cell Phone Forensics experts have given their tricks on clearing data to eliminate worry about unnecessary exposure. Here are some of these tricks.

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.

Factory reset is not similar to wiping out information. This method works by hiding the information in a way that normal operations of your phone cannot retrieve it. It takes advanced technology to retrieve it. If a person is intent on retrieving this information, it will still be possible leading to compromise.

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.

Overwrite the existing data. This is an option that you use when saving files or data. It amounts to utilizing space that may be considered already used and in the process damage the existing files. Just like resetting to factory option, overwriting conceals the information in such a way that it can only be retrieved with advanced technology. This option will therefore hide information from ordinary persons and not tech wiz intent on retrieving it.

Do you have added memory devices like SD cards and sim cards, remove them from your handset. They are pockets for storing data that is visible when you are operating your phone. If you had indicated that certain files be saved in the cards, they will be eliminated from the phone once these cards are removed. This is a safer option but you must have chosen these cards as your preferred option for saving data or files.

Data recovery technology has made it almost impossible to permanently delete information from phones. However, since recovery relies on advanced technology, it is still possible to conceal files and data from unauthorized persons. Follow the directions of your handset to guarantee security. If you would not want any information to fall into the public eye, do not generate it in the first place.




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