Stop old data from exposing you to ID theft
It’s the time of year when many of us clean out closets, basements, and attics. Maybe you’ve found some old electronics that are just gathering dust. Whether you’re selling, donating, or recycling them, before you get rid of your older tech, there are a few simple but important steps you need to take. Just deleting files and logging out is not enough, according to Consumer Reports.
Anything that might be stored locally on a device, like photos, videos, or any personal documents, may still be on there if the only thing you’ve done is log out of different accounts.
First, back things up using an external drive or cloud-based service. Then search online for specific factory reset directions for your device. It can be done on laptops, tablets, smartphones, wearable tech, and more.
Even after a factory reset, a very determined hacker could still access your old files. Although that’s very unlikely, you have other options that are more permanent, though it could decrease the value of your tech.
Say you’re selling a laptop on eBay or something like that. You could just physically remove the hard drive so that when you sell it (or give it to someone else), your data is no longer there because the hard drive is no longer there.
More extreme measures include destroying the hard drive or even destroying, then recycling, the device itself.
Consumer Reports says other devices that also need a factory reset include TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices like Roku. These all have your data, so you want to make sure to get rid of it before passing it on to the next person.
It's also important to remove any external storage in your devices, like microSD cards. And for smartphones and tablets with cellular, you’ll also want to find and remove the SIM card. If you don’t have the tool to remove it that came with your device, you can use a paper clip instead.
Our data is held in so many places by many different companies that have been subjected to breaches, so there's no point in letting your old tech add to the burden of new identity theft problems.
Files from Consumer Reports
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.