Personal details retrievable from ‘wiped’ phones

A myriad of key personal information, including financial log-in details, can still be retrieved from lost, stolen, or sold-on mobile phones even if the device has been locked or has been “factory-wiped”.

Digital forensic investigators working on behalf of Deloitte were able to use a variety of specialist techniques and tools to extract the identity of owners, PPS numbers, PayPal login details, and personal and work emails from a range of mobile devices of various makes, including smartphones and tablets.

Deloitte tested two scenarios: A simulation of lost or stolen devices which were borrowed from willing participants; and a set of second-hand phones which were bought and which had been factory-wiped — a process often completed before a phone is sold, something which would often be relied upon to stop information being gained.