what is the best way to format a ssd or a phone?
SSD and phone are different class of products. Why have you put them in the same statement with an "or"? It's unclear what you're expecting.
As for phones, all android phones released in the past 5 or so years are encrypted by default. Once you reset the phone, old data becomes irrecoverable, deleted or not. Note than this applies only to internal memory.
As for phones, all android phones released in the past 5 or so years are encrypted by default. Once you reset the phone, old data becomes irrecoverable, deleted or not. Note than this applies only to internal memory.
TechUser00
Disciple
By default a simple 'factory reset' will erase all your phone internal memory data. And it's not recoverable. But not applicable to MicroSD cards used in mobiles.
For SSD you need specialized software to wipe clean the data, but relatively much easier than HDDs.
Futureized
Skilled
Thanks I was not aware about this.
Is factory reset for realme c25 (4gb/128 gb) enough to permanently delete all data?
grenade0
Recruit
thanks for your reply. because i had no idea they are different, i thought u can use the same method.
grenade0
Recruit
t
thanks. and can you pls tell me what software to use for ssds, preferably the one which are free.
Your data is encrypted. On factory reset, the encryption key, which itself is protected by your pin or pattern, gets deleted, rendering all other data unreadable. This is effectively a permanent deletion as there is no way to read the data on the storage anymore.
Edit: Needless to say that I'm only referring to normal course of things. If you're high profile enough to have an Israeli Spyware on your phone, then it's way beyond my capabilities to answer the question.
rsaeon
Patron
No, there's no easy way for a consumer to permanantly delete data. A factory reset will wipe the data but the data will still be able to be recovered forensically, if suppose you are/were a suspect in a crime.
For the general public, a factory reset is usually enough because the next user of the device will not have access to the tools and methods that a forensic lab would have.
Personally, after a factory reset, I setup the device with a new throwaway Google account and proceed to fill the storage with thousands of high resolution images. And repeat two more times. The phone then leaves my possession after the fourth reset without any set up being done.
edit: this reply assumes you're a person of interest to intelligence agencies.
Futureized
Skilled
Interesting..
Did 2 reset from hardware and software, I think that's enough..
Just phonepe data which is now unlinked and app deleted..
rsaeon
Patron
It's worth noting that raw data has little value these days to forensic labs, they rely on metadata which is easily procured through apps and services.
Something like a WhatsApp forward is hashed with the originator's identity and this information is stored somewhere along whoever propagated the message with subsequent forwards. The hash is changed if, for example, a user alters the data (saves, exports and then sends that image/video).
This kind of information used to be in the land of conjecture and conspiracy theories but our arrogant government and politicians have inadvertently exposed what they're able track and how and to what extent over the last few years.
.
This reminds me of something very important: do not disable the pin/pattern lock before factory reset.
Some sellers/buyers will insist on it when you go to a shop to sell it to, this will decrypt the contents of your phone and then it's a simple matter of connecting the freshly reset phone to your computer to recover private photos and videos which then end up on the internet somewhere.
Something like a WhatsApp forward is hashed with the originator's identity and this information is stored somewhere along whoever propagated the message with subsequent forwards. The hash is changed if, for example, a user alters the data (saves, exports and then sends that image/video).
This kind of information used to be in the land of conjecture and conspiracy theories but our arrogant government and politicians have inadvertently exposed what they're able track and how and to what extent over the last few years.
.
This reminds me of something very important: do not disable the pin/pattern lock before factory reset.
Some sellers/buyers will insist on it when you go to a shop to sell it to, this will decrypt the contents of your phone and then it's a simple matter of connecting the freshly reset phone to your computer to recover private photos and videos which then end up on the internet somewhere.
Last edited:
archie_arch
Patron
Most of today phones are encrypted by default, so use a pin which is difficult to guess / generate and reset it.
For SSD, use encryption softwares like veracrypt to encrypt [ Use password larger than 20 characters ] reset the partition, This solves most of the cases. If needed you can use data remover softwares like dban to securely erasing SSD or HDD.
For SSD, use encryption softwares like veracrypt to encrypt [ Use password larger than 20 characters ] reset the partition, This solves most of the cases. If needed you can use data remover softwares like dban to securely erasing SSD or HDD.
I agree it is a good suggestion but technically I don't think disabling pin/lock pattern before reset affect anything on android because pin/pattern is there to protect your primary encryption key without which it is not that your phone is not encrypted but rather that its primary encryption key is visible to anyone who can then use it to decrypt that data. Once phone is reset the original primary encryption key on the phone itself is deleted so it doesn't matter whether the pin/pattern was disabled earlier or not because after the reset that key doesn't exist anymore. What you are talking about data exposed from freshly reset phone I think it is most likely due to no encryption on the phone itself as there are many custom rom install tutorials/guides online which actually disable the device encryption for ease of installing/switching custom roms & many ppl blindly follow such tutorials/guides without understanding them enough.
DBAN is meant for hdd not ssd which works entirely different from hdd on a fundamental level.
archie_arch
Patron
Sorry,my bad have used it for HDD. Should have cross checked before posting.
If you use a screen lock on your Android smartphone, full-disk encryption is enabled by default. So If you have formatted your phone, it is safe to go.