The Data Consumers Give Away With Recycled Mobile Phones

Mobile phones are big business. Every month, manufacturers release new devices and consumers buy them in large numbers. It is estimated that 250 million existing phones are replaced by a newer model each year. With technology moving this quickly, recycling offers a practical way to reduce waste and, in some cases, recover some value from an old device.

However, mobile phone recycling is still a relatively young industry. Too many pre-owned phones enter the market without proper attention to the personal data they still hold. For many people, a phone contains emails, passwords, photos and payment details. If someone recycles a handset without processing it properly, another user may still be able to recover that data, even after a factory reset.

The Risks of Recycling Your Phone

Rapid7 specialises in data security operations. The company carried out a series of experiments on recycled electronics, including mobile phones. Its team bought devices from businesses selling refurbished, pre-owned and recycled products that had been advertised as wiped.

The researchers then used a script to index each device and collect the data it could still find. Their results showed how easy it can be to recover information from a device that has not been wiped properly. The data they found included a large amount of personally identifiable information.

Of the 85 devices analysed, only two had been properly cleared of information and only three were encrypted. The remaining devices gave the team access to 41 social security numbers, 19 credit card numbers, two passport numbers, 147,000 emails and 214,000 images. That type of information can reveal birthdays, passwords, workplaces and much more.

These findings suggest two problems. First, many customers do not fully understand the need to remove their own data before recycling a device. Second, too many businesses still fail to treat secure data erasure as a serious part of the refurbishment process. When that happens, personal information can be sold along with a recycled handset. Considering how cheaply stolen data can be traded online, that risk should not be ignored.

How MobiWIPE by MobiCode Can Help

MobiCode approaches data erasure with a strong focus on detail and consistency. We developed software that does not cut corners. MobiWIPE erases data from the device and provides a certificate of erasure, giving businesses a clearer record of what has been processed.

We are GDPR compliant, ADISA approved, and insured against data breaches. Some of the UK’s largest phone recyclers use MobiWIPE because there is very little room for error when it comes to sensitive data.

If you are looking for a reliable way to erase data, get in touch with MobiCode today.