Odds are that you’ve got at least one or two digital devices sitting in the basement or a drawer somewhere taking up space and of no help to you anymore. That’s not a slight, just a fact of life of our here-today-gone-tomorrow world of technology. But before you throw those devices in the garbage or haul them off to Goodwill, experts say you should be careful about how to dispose of them.
Simply deleting files isn't enough; data can often be recovered. Sophos security expert, Chester Wisniewski, warns that "Deleted data can be accessed by more than just the police. Identity thieves and others can exploit tools to retrieve your texts, photos, emails and passwords."
Wisniewski reminds consumers that deleting files doesn’t have any real permanence. To scrub a device completely – desktop, laptop, smartphone, smart TV, or tablet – each device has “wiping” instructions that pertain to specifically to those devices.
Recommended steps to do it right
He recommends that the first thing you do is back up, to the cloud or a disk drive, any files that you want – or think you might want – to keep or use at some point. Those include:
Personal documents: Word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, important emails.
Media files: Photos, videos, music.
Important contacts: Address book entries, phone numbers.
Software licenses: Product keys for programs you want to reinstall.
Important settings: Custom configurations for applications or system settings.
“You want to bring that device back to factory settings, and that means reinstalling the operating system,” Robert Siciliano, a digital security expert with Protect Now, told ConsumersCheckbook.
Breaking it down to the specific type of device, Siciliano offered these suggestions.
Desktops and laptops
After you’ve jumped through all the hoops you think you should, it’s still a smart idea to run a utility program like the free Disk Wipe or DBAN to scrub away any remaining particles of important data so they can never be accessed again.
“These utility programs are designed to overwrite all the leftover data so that it’s indecipherable and really can’t be put back together to steal your identity,” Siciliano explained.
If you have used your device for work, you might want to go the extra step of destroying it completely. Yes, that means you can get your hammer out and wail on it like you were a 3-year-old. A couple of whacks or drillholes are probably all you need to make sure any sensitive data is gone forever.
Smartphones and Tablets
If you have an Android device, here’s how to reset everything to its original factory settings. On the other hand, if you have an iPhone or iPad, take these steps.
Also, don’t forget to remove and destroy the SIM card if there’s one. If you don’t, call records and contacts could still fall into the wrong hands.
Smart TVs
The device that’s probably not given sufficient consideration is the smart TV. If you think that there’s nothing “personal” there, you’d be wrong. Smart TVs can store a surprising amount of personal information, and if not properly erased before selling or giving away, it could be accessed by others. Here's what you should be aware of:
Account Credentials: If you've logged into any streaming services, social media accounts, or email accounts on your smart TV, your usernames and passwords might be stored. This could give someone access to these accounts.
Viewing History: Smart TVs often keep a record of what you've watched, which can reveal your interests, preferences, and even political leanings.
Voice Data: If you've used voice control features, recordings of your voice might be stored. With AI as sophisticated as it is, a fraudster could get a snippet of your voice and do some terrible things with it.
Browsing History: If you've used the built-in web browser, your browsing history, cookies, and even saved passwords could be accessible. And if those passwords fall into the wrong hands that could present issues down the road, too.
Location Data: Some smart TVs can track your location, which can be used to build a profile of your movements and habits.
Personal Photos and Videos: If you've connected any devices or used the TV to view personal media, traces of that data might remain.
Credit Card Information: If you've ever made purchases through the TV, your credit card information might be stored.