A new study by computer researchers at the University of Cambridge has revealed that wiping out valuable information from a used Android phone is not a guarantee that the phone is totally clean and the next user will not have access to such information.
The study warned that if you’re determined to sell your old phone, there’s no way to be sure your data is completely gone, adding that even if you do a factory reset on the Android device, it does not erase everything, and sometimes, it does not even come close.
This means, your text messages, emails, pictures and Facebook key have the chances of still being on the phone, even if the memory is wiped out.
CNNMoney reports that the researchers blamed the situation on Google, which makes the Android software that runs all these phones. But the phone makers are also at fault, because of bad design and terribly slow upgrades and software updates, “the researchers revealed to CNNMoney.
The researchers said out of the 21 phones made by Google (GOOGL, Tech30), HTC, LG, Motorola (MSI) and Samsung (SSNLF), that were tested by the researchers, text messages, Google account credentials and conversations on messaging apps were recovered.
“80 percent of the emails sent by the device remain in the device. Also, the special app “tokens” that let you access your Facebook (FB, Tech30) and other social media accounts remained on the device. And sometimes, devices don’t properly wipe the special part of your phone that stores all your pictures and videos,” the study added.
Most affected devices include the HTC One, HTC Sensation XE, Motorola Razr I, Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy S Plus and others.
The researchers said the Google Nexus 4 performed the best — but it still had issues. Each phone had a different set of problems. For example, the HTC One didn’t wipe its internal SD card (where pictures are stored) by erasing it through the phone’s “settings” section, even though that’s what HTC says you should do. Instead, you have to go through the “recovery” section.
The used smartphone market presently account for about 630 million globally out of a projected two billion smartphones in 2016 ending. According to eMarketer, 2015 will witness over 1.91 billion smartphone users across the globe, a figure that will increase another 12.6% to near 2.16 billion in 2016.
That's all

The person above me is blessed IJN

Ok, we don hear so I guess their next research should be focused on how to wipe all information before selling the phone, #next

Let the hacking begin

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I think port a now ROM or a different ROM before selling will do the trick. #thinking

Who'll go as far as looking for what you deleted?? D person no get job ni??

na im pple were dea buy 2nd hand fone neva get information of oder pple e for don get pin ,password etc make i hear word joor who no get work were go dea dig deep into the fone

i dey use nokia e63 wetin consin me? i dey use nokia e63 wetin consin me?

simply wipe cache partition

Obaiyski:

A new study by computer researchers at the University of Cambridge has revealed that wiping out valuable information from a used Android phone is not a guarantee that the phone is totally clean and the next user will not have access to such information.
The study warned that if you’re determined to sell your old phone, there’s no way to be sure your data is completely gone, adding that even if you do a factory reset on the Android device, it does not erase everything, and sometimes, it does not even come close.
This means, your text messages, emails, pictures and Facebook key have the chances of still being on the phone, even if the memory is wiped out.
CNNMoney reports that the researchers blamed the situation on Google, which makes the Android software that runs all these phones. But the phone makers are also at fault, because of bad design and terribly slow upgrades and software updates, “the researchers revealed to CNNMoney.
The researchers said out of the 21 phones made by Google (GOOGL, Tech30), HTC, LG, Motorola (MSI) and Samsung (SSNLF), that were tested by the researchers, text messages, Google account credentials and conversations on messaging apps were recovered.
“80 percent of the emails sent by the device remain in the device. Also, the special app “tokens” that let you access your Facebook (FB, Tech30) and other social media accounts remained on the device. And sometimes, devices don’t properly wipe the special part of your phone that stores all your pictures and videos,” the study added.
Most affected devices include the HTC One, HTC Sensation XE, Motorola Razr I, Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy S Plus and others.
The researchers said the Google Nexus 4 performed the best — but it still had issues. Each phone had a different set of problems. For example, the HTC One didn’t wipe its internal SD card (where pictures are stored) by erasing it through the phone’s “settings” section, even though that’s what HTC says you should do. Instead, you have to go through the “recovery” section.
The used smartphone market presently account for about 630 million globally out of a projected two billion smartphones in 2016 ending. According to eMarketer, 2015 will witness over 1.91 billion smartphone users across the globe, a figure that will increase another 12.6% to near 2.16 billion in 2016.
That's all

wow
so how I go take recover my lost images, messages etc as a result of factory reset? thanks in advance

using nokia xl. nobody go gree buy am sef curse you nokia

There is one way that would erase it forever,BURN IT

2oddMASTER:
There is one way that would erase it forever,BURN IT

When u gat nothing to hide like me, u dont care, any body way wan hack me. U are free. In short, make i give u ma password

Phones too don get recycle bin ni?

That's why I use my old phones to the point where they can't be sold and then I smash them to pieces

dljbd1:
I think port a now ROM or a different ROM before selling will do the trick. #thinking

just what I was thinking too

Techno phone$ no dey Ope ooo