How many reports have we seen where people purchasing used drives or devices find personal information or data from the previous owner? Lots of times, right? So why am I covering this on this blog today? Well, because the findings from one study may qualify for today’s “This Takes the Cake” Award.
Aleisha Orr’s news story starts with the expected:
Banking details, personal information and homemade pornography are amongst the most common files found on second hand memory cards and USB sticks when people re-sell their devices in a bid to recoup the cost of their digital storage.
Edith Cowan University researcher Krishnun Sansurooah said research had revealed that most people who sold these devices through online auction sites often leave personal and private information on them.
But here’s the part that caught my eye:
A survey of used memory cards had alarming findings.
More than half of the 78 cards purchased online showed no evidence that the previous owners had attempted to remove data and 19 included notes requesting the buyer remove the data left on the cards.
*facepalm*
*cough*
*splutter*
Read more on WAtoday.