Does Deleting Your Personal Info From Your GPS Unit Really Delete It?

by Justin

Planning on selling your old GPS unit? IT Security student Tyler Reber has some info that you need to know. Currently enrolled in a computer and data forensics course, Reber has used his access to tools such as ProDiscover, a professional forensic tool for analysis computer hardware and accessories, to capture images of all the digital info on old GPS devices-including supposedly deleted information.

Turns out that if you’re planning on selling your old unit and delete all of your personal info, POIs, etc., and return the unit to its factory settings, your deleted data can still be found on the device. Does this matter to most? Probably not. To actually recover deleted files on an old GPS, a new user would have to search for the file specifically, and an eBay buyer would have no way or likely inclination to do this. But it is possible. Just something to remember next time you’re getting rid of old electronics with personal info on them-even info you think you’ve deleted.

Via TechConsumer