Selling a device ,tablet phone ect

[Drago]

When I used to have some peripheral involvement in examining electronic devices for evidence, a factory reset made the information utterly irretrievable to even the best e-forensic systems. On a few devices it was possible to desolder the pertinent memory chip and send it to the manufacturer who could occasionally retrieve data, but that was rare and because of the vast expense was reserved for stuff like homicides. Do a factory reset and it is as effectively as safe as if Hilary Clinton had pulped it with a hammer.

BTW, anyone who buys apple devices thinking they're secure and the authorities can't crack them is utterly deluded.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I've already factory reset. The tablet I'm using says encrypted so I'd think the other 2 were also.

Its not a default of Android so depends on whether you want to be sure or take a risk they weren’t and secondly that it falls into the hands of a hacker.

 

[Globalti]

Er.... how much are you selling the Samsung tablet for?

 

[Levo-Lon]

Er.... how much are you selling the Samsung tablet for?

I was going to sell them for 30 each. As there still ok, I didn't want to just bin them.

I'll probably end up giving them to staff at work for their kids if it helps them out.

 

[Mo1959]

Can't say it's something that's ever bothered me too much. All my previous phones have been sent to the likes of Mazuma for recycling after the normal factory reset.

 

[DCBassman]

Unless NSA have a special interest in you, factory reset is just fine.

 

[ColinJ]

Er.... how much are you selling the Samsung tablet for?

The trouble with old phones and tablets is that they often get stuck with an ancient operating system. My old Galaxy Tab 8.9 got stuck with Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich'. There will never be any more official updates for it. There are sites doing unofficial updates but that route is iffy.

The issue is that many apps require a modern-ish OS and won't install.

I still use my Tab though it annoys me that a lot of apps that work well on my phone don't work on it.

 

[Levo-Lon]

The trouble with old phones and tablets is that they often get stuck with an ancient operating system. My old Galaxy Tab 8.9 got stuck with Android 'Ice Cream Sandwich'. There will never be any more official updates for it. There are sites doing unofficial updates but that route is iffy.

The issue is that many apps require a modern-ish OS and won't install.

I still use my Tab though it annoys me that a lot of apps that work well on my phone don't work on it.

Good point, tho the galaxy does seem to work fine.
The Amazon one also

 

[ColinJ]

Good point, tho the galaxy does seem to work fine.
The Amazon one also

I still like mine for playing puzzle games on but it annoys me that I can't find a compatible web browser that I like. Chrome will not install. I usually end up using my phone in bed when I would prefer to use the tablet.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Just before Xmas I took my old tablet, a Lenovo, and an old phone, a L G, down to a place in town and sold them there, they were only factory reset before I took them.

 

[Pale Rider]

Some encryption/password protection is so good even the forensic IT engineers used by the police cannot crack it.

There is a criminal offence of failing to disclose a password when required to do so.

Rarely used, but I have seen one prosecution.

If I recall, the people used by the police had spent 18 months trying to crack the device without success.

The defendant was found guilty, but I think he was the only one in the courtroom who fully understood what had gone on.

 

[Drago]

I used it just the once. His solicitor didn't like it at all,

 

[Pale Rider]

I used it just the once. His solicitor didn't like it at all,

I think the defendant got something like nine months.

It had to be a meaningful penalty, otherwise there's no point in prosecuting.

Device also confiscated as an item used in the commission of an offence.

He may have had a back up device hidden somewhere, so that's the moral of the story - always back up your data even if you are a criminal.