[HacktionLab] wiping phones data

[m3shrom]

Thanks for the info coming in,

I'm adding it all here - https://pad.riseup.net/p/phonesinit

I've added this tool.

https://f-droid.org/packages/us.spotco.extirpater/


On 22/11/2023 13:14, Cat wrote:
> 1) 'Factory reset' used to be much more obviously one setting, to the 
> extent that I'm not sure a non-tech-professional would be able to do 
> it effectively now. I wasn't able to find any setting that I was 
> confident would perform this for me, although I was using a Samsung 
> Bloatware Special.

I've also added this article as well, as there are two ways to factory 
reset, one via the settings and one via recovery mode. I wonder if the 
second one would be available on that samsung.


      Android - two ways to factory reset.

https://nordvpn.com/blog/factory-reset-android/

here's what's there so far.

*Tips on Wiping Phone’s data securely*

*Scenario *

We are rehoming donated devices at the makery. Laptops we're comfortable 
with but info on phones and data is useful. Here's detail of the overall 
project. https://todmordenmakery.org.uk/devices/

We would like to be able to say to people that donate their phones for 
reuse something like. "We wipe the user data from the phone in a way 
which makes it impractical for the next user to read it."
So not saying any data recover is totally impossible (i.e. military 
grade tools - to recover partitial fragments). But in practical terms 
it's not going to happen with any off the shelf tools.

*Discussion / General points. *

First check is the phone encrypted or not
If yes, then a factory reset is enough to securely remove users data.
Iphones and Phones after Android 10 are encrypted by default.
So, it’s important to get access to the phone via password of the user 
to do that for some models of phones / tablets (especially apple!).
So just dropping off an iphone without a conversation could be a problem 
(is that true with some androids?).


*Android - two ways to factory reset. *
https://nordvpn.com/blog/factory-reset-android/

*Wiping Data via tools when needed*

For older Android / windows smart phones, doing a factory reset and then 
writing data / zeros to the hard drive is an effective method to make 
user data unreadable.

Tool for android 4 and up.
https://f-droid.org/packages/us.spotco.extirpater/

*Tools and Questions*

shred command
Can you shred dd on an android phone from a laptop via usb?

dd command
Can you run dd on an android phone from a laptop via usb?

Resetting android phones with no password. When can you and can't do you 
it via factory reset?


*ADB*

Is this promising?
ADB and shell access?
https://www.kulesz.me/post/050-android-backup-restore/

Notes: if you get  "error: no devices/emulators found" -  Turn on USB 
debugging

Could this be done without USB debugging on

*Commandline via MTP*

Untested - but could perhaps allow the dd  / shred commands to be run.
https://askubuntu.com/questions/596441/how-to-access-my-android-phone-from-my-terminal

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