Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Something to Think about When You Throw Away Those Old Cell Phones

Associated Press--
Resetting the cell phone is a popular practice among sellers and it is often assumed that sensitive information would be erased. However, that information can be resurrected using inexpensive specialized software found on the Internet.
" Curious software experts at Trust Digital resurrected information on nearly all the used phones, including the racy exchanges between guarded lovers.
The other phones contained:
-One company's plans to win a multimillion-dollar federal transportation contract.
-E-mails about another firm's $50,000 payment for a software license.
-Bank accounts and passwords...."

All 10 phones that Trust Digital tested stored information on flash memory chips, similar technology found on Digital cameras & music players. The flash memory is inexpensive and durable however slow to erase. Phone manufacturers usually provide instructions for safely deleting a customer's information although it is not always convenient or easy to find.

Something to think about next time you dispose of your old cell phone.

2 comments:

JustaDog said...

I donate mine. If they tried to find anything they would be disappointed since I only use mine for phone calls - never emails!

MAX Redline said...

What justa said = I do the same thing, and use the phone in the same way. Storing passwords on a cell is stupid, anyway.