Researcher: Private data recoverable from Android after wipe
updated 09:40 pm EDT, Thu March 29, 2012
BlackBerry, iOS receive praise
Android devices may not completely remove personal data from a device after a user activates the built-in wipe option, according to McAfee identity theft researcher Robert Siciliano. To test the security of various platforms, Siciliano purchased 30 devices, including smartphones and notebook computers, from the popular classifieds site Craigslist.
Tests reportedly showed that users can be confident that their personal data is not easily recoverable from a BlackBerry smartphone or iOS device. RIM took top honors, with security provisions that Siciliano describes as "totally impenetrable," according to quotes posted in an LA Times report.
"They did a really good job of destroying data when you reset the factory settings," the researcher added.
Siciliano suggests that Android and Windows XP represented the worst performers, leaving users with no direct option to clear data. The researcher recommends that users do not sell Android smartphones or Windows XP computers, without removing the hard drive.
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