1. anon(55900)'s Avatar
    Here's an article about how Android phones do not wipe all data even after a factory reset! Researchers find Android factory reset faulty and reversible

    Do you think this is an Android only issue or could BB possibly have a similar issue? Has it ever been tested? If BB does indeed have a sure fire way to delete all user Apps and data then it's time for BB to to take advantage of this Android short coming!

    Question; What is the correct way to totally erase all OS and user data from a BB? I've seen little disagreements here on CB from posters about how its best done. According to BB, this is how it's done. KB14058-How to delete all data and applications from the BlackBerry smartphone using the Security Wipe option

    I also found this old post on Crackberry, and ask, if standard wipe is supposed to be OK, why the posters overkill approach? http://forums.crackberry.com/tips-ho...y-device-4585/
    05-23-15 06:32 AM
  2. moegh's Avatar
    I think I read this thread today but it was another one

    CB10 - Q10 - 10.3.2.680
    05-23-15 06:50 AM
  3. Bravurag's Avatar
    Androids don't do many other things as well!

     Diplomatic Passport 
    05-23-15 06:53 AM
  4. Old_Mil's Avatar
    Remember, the entire goal of android - the OS and it's Apps - is to spy on the end user. This is true whether you are using Droid apps on a native platform or on your BlackBerry. I am not really surprised at all.

    Posted via CB10
    05-23-15 07:26 AM
  5. TgeekB's Avatar
    Remember, the entire goal of android - the OS and it's Apps - is to spy on the end user. This is true whether you are using Droid apps on a native platform or on your BlackBerry. I am not really surprised at all.

    Posted via CB10
    That has absolutely nothing to do with it. Read the article.

    Z30something
    05-23-15 08:27 AM
  6. AnimalPak200's Avatar
    I really hope, given how long BlackBerry's security wipe takes (sometimes a day), that it actually does a more thorough job like randomizing all written data storage locations prior to formatting and restoring to factory.

    Posted via CB10
    05-23-15 08:46 AM
  7. FunktasticLucky's Avatar
    Why can't they just do like ssd's with a secure erase that sends higher voltage that triggers full erase to all the NAND modules. Takes like 5 seconds then it could reload the factory os

    Posted via CB10
    05-23-15 08:54 AM
  8. Old_Mil's Avatar
    That has absolutely nothing to do with it. Read the article.

    Z30something
    Why one would expect an operating system designed as a surveillance tool to have an adequate security wipe is beyond me. So yes, it does have everything to do with it.

    Posted via CB10
    lift, thymaster and Supa_Fly1 like this.
    05-23-15 09:15 AM
  9. Bravurag's Avatar
    Why one would expect an operating system designed as a surveillance tool to have an adequate security wipe is beyond me. So yes, it does have everything to do with it.

    Posted via CB10
    Don't say anything to Android!! It hurts some creeps who propagate 24/7 gainst BlackBerry and in favour of Android.
    BTW how you can use two words "Android" and "Security" together???

     Diplomatic Passport 
    thymaster likes this.
    05-23-15 09:21 AM
  10. Fr3lncr's Avatar
    On Android, if you want the equivalent of the full BB security wipe, I believe you have to encrypt your phone, and then decrypt it. The decryption process overwrites all the data on the phone so it can't be recovered. Do that, plus a factory reset (before selling your phone for example) and you should be good.
    05-23-15 10:29 AM
  11. donnation's Avatar
    how you can use two words "Android" and "Security" together???

     Diplomatic Passport 
    I don't know, how can you use the words Android apps running on a Blackberry?
    Thud Hardsmack and Witmen like this.
    05-23-15 10:35 AM
  12. FrankIAm's Avatar
    And operating system designed to spy on people? Damn. The "old" part of your username is really fitting.
    Fidel Mercado likes this.
    05-23-15 10:50 AM
  13. Bravurag's Avatar
    I don't know, how can you use the words Android apps running on a Blackberry?
    You are talking about apps?? I am talking about OS!

     Diplomatic Passport 
    05-23-15 11:14 AM
  14. vrud's Avatar
    I really hope, given how long BlackBerry's security wipe takes (sometimes a day), that it actually does a more thorough job like randomizing all written data storage locations prior to formatting and restoring to factory.

    Posted via CB10
    I hope so. When I did factory reset on my z10 it took like half a day to finish.

    Posted via CB10
    05-23-15 11:15 AM
  15. -Puck-'s Avatar
    Just compare the time it takes to "factory wipe" an Android vs Security Wipe a BB.

    Deleting files does nothing physically to the files - it just puts a tag on the file to let the OS know that the file has been deleted and to no longer index it. Until another file is overwritten on the same physical location on the drive, that file can easily be undeleted and restored. You don't need any special knowledge or tools, there are tons of free apps you can download right now that will list all the recently deleted files on a drive and attempt to restore them...and if the drive is not often written to like a scheduled backup drive, then chances are that most files are restorable.

    To properly delete a file it needs to be overwritten, preferably multiple times. I have known (overly) security conscious friends to format (not the default "quick format", a true format), zero fill, then format a drive again to destroy files and information. Zero fill is literally that - fills the drive from first sector to last with all 0s. I think that's overboard, but to each his own.
    thymaster likes this.
    05-23-15 11:18 AM
  16. lift's Avatar
    On Android, if you want the equivalent of the full BB security wipe, I believe you have to encrypt your phone, and then decrypt it. The decryption process overwrites all the data on the phone so it can't be recovered. Do that, plus a factory reset (before selling your phone for example) and you should be good.
    Almost right. I read that before you plan to sell an android device you should remove the SD card. Encrypt the entire device. Then do the security wipe. That way if the device is not properly wiped, then anything that is left on the device is encrypted and will be unable to be read.
    I think seeing as though BlackBerry is a very security focused company that their data wipe process is complete and the data is non-recoverable.
    05-23-15 11:40 AM
  17. ArcPlug's Avatar
    I was under the understanding that when you do a security wipe on a BlackBerry, it overwrites the entire drive with zeros and ones, making all previous data unrecoverable.

    Posted via CB10
    thymaster and highos like this.
    05-23-15 12:03 PM
  18. TgeekB's Avatar
    Why one would expect an operating system designed as a surveillance tool to have an adequate security wipe is beyond me. So yes, it does have everything to do with it.

    Posted via CB10
    It has to do with how data is stored. In not an expert but it's the same with iPhone. But he go ahead and throw the usual lines out.

    Z30something
    05-23-15 12:45 PM
  19. Troy Tiscareno's Avatar
    Google has never advertised a "factory reset" as being a "security wipe". The two are very different things, just like they are on a PC. The only issue here is that some people made a poor assumption and then made a big deal about the fact that the assumed behavior didn't take place.

    Next someone is going to tell us that deleting a file on a Windows PC doesn't actually delete (and security wipe) that file. Well... DUH!
    05-23-15 01:02 PM
  20. DenverRalphy's Avatar
    This isn't anything new. Every year or so, this same story comes back up. A factory reset isn't intended to wipe an Android device. A factory reset is only intended to reset the device's system/OS files/data in the event something goes wrong and the device is rendered unusable. I'd sooner be able to recover my data still available to me after a reset, rather than having to replace it all on a device newly reverted to it's virgin state. Wiping an Android device clean is a completely separate operation.
    Last edited by DenverRalphy; 05-23-15 at 01:28 PM.
    05-23-15 01:15 PM
  21. TgeekB's Avatar
    Don't say anything to Android!! It hurts some creeps who propagate 24/7 gainst BlackBerry and in favour of Android.
    BTW how you can use two words "Android" and "Security" together???

     Diplomatic Passport 
    Who's defending Android? The story is true. But if you look further it says it is unlikely to happen because in the end you only have 1 persons data which probably isn't worth much for all that work. You have to purchase or steal a device which can cost you money. Again, it needs to be fixed but it shouldn't be an automatic hate on Android opportunity.

    Z30something
    05-23-15 01:21 PM
  22. thymaster's Avatar
    And people here always whine and complain that BlackBerry phones takes forever to wipe. Well the longer it takes, the safer the data removal is.

    Android have so many security flaws that from day one I knew a factory reset wasn't going to easily wipe my data. I've dealt with this same issue before on a Nexus and a Samsung phone where I've sworn I did a factory reset but the data is still there after. I had to do a few more wipes to be presented as a clean OS even though I knew my data was stored somewhere.
    anon(9169048) likes this.
    05-23-15 01:35 PM
  23. thymaster's Avatar
    Then Google shouldn't trick their users into believing their data were wiped. It says it clearly when you do a factory reset.

    Attachment 354165

    Google has never advertised a "factory reset" as being a "security wipe". The two are very different things, just like they are on a PC. The only issue here is that some people made a poor assumption and then made a big deal about the fact that the assumed behavior didn't take place.
    Posted via CB10
    -Puck-, Supa_Fly1 and lift like this.
    05-23-15 01:49 PM
  24. TgeekB's Avatar
    And people here always whine and complain that BlackBerry phones takes forever to wipe. Well the longer it takes, the safer the data removal is.

    Android have so many security flaws that from day one I knew a factory reset wasn't going to easily wipe my data. I've dealt with this same issue before on a Nexus and a Samsung phone where I've sworn I did a factory reset but the data is still there after. I had to do a few more wipes to be presented as a clean OS even though I knew my data was stored somewhere.
    Agreed. It is done differently by blackberry which slows the process down but produces better results.

    Z30something
    thymaster likes this.
    05-23-15 01:50 PM
  25. thymaster's Avatar
    Another purpose for the data reset is to resell your phone. Wouldn't be embarrassing if the new owners got a hold of your data without the intention.

    This isn't anything new. Every year or so, this same story comes back up. A factory reset isn't intended to wipe an Android device. A factory reset is only intended to reset the device's system/OS files/data in the event something goes wrong and the device is rendered unusable. I'd sooner be able to recover my data still available to me after a reset, rather than having to replace it all on a device newly reverted to it's virgin state. Wiping an Android device clean is a completely separate operation.
    lift likes this.
    05-23-15 02:00 PM
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