Home News 90% of second-hand devices contain confidential information of their previous owner

90% of second-hand devices contain confidential information of their previous owner

Currently, we may want to change devices before it stops working. Normally the old device is provided to another member of our family, an acquaintance, or simply ends up in a drawer in case we need it in the future, however, another option is its sale. Faced with this option, the sale, Kaspersky has carried out a study that yields worrying data, both for those who sell and for those who buy.

90% of second-hand devices contain confidential information of their previous owner

In this study, 185 devices with the ability to store information, from memory cards to hard drives, were analyzed over a period of two months. Well, they managed to find data of the original owners in 90% of them. This study reveals that it was possible to extract data from 74% of devices with complex information retrieval methods while 16% gave direct access to the information.

Bad for the buyer.

So far we have talked about the dangers for the personal information of the one who sells the device but there is also a danger for the one who buys. 17 percent of devices skipped Kaspersky’s anti-malware detection other words, buying one of these devices would not only obtain the user’s confidential information but also inherit their (computer) viruses.

How can we avoid it?

If you don’t want there to be any possibility of your information being leaked and you are also a fan of the television series “Mr. Robot ”, the best option will be a good hammer, after erasing the memory device and performing a complete overwrite of the information on it. Needless to say, make sure to remove storage media like microSD cards or even SIM cards when selling or disposing of electronic devices.

Exit mobile version