Sell IPhone = Personal Data Compromised?

[melodosgr]

I've been really overwhelmed due to the several techniques that exist out there and i imagine that nothing can stop a true hacker to regain some data out of any device that keeps data. Especially magnetic mediums.

Is that different with the iphone though? I know that it uses flash memory and i am not sure how easily can that be compromised.
I know it sounds stupid, but with the advancement of technology, even though it might be not so easy to recover data, even when using the erase data function on iOS but what about in the near future? Some smart stephen hawking of IT might invent a hacking utility that compromises data in seconds..

Could you please give me some insights about me selling my iphone? I don't wanna end up having random people having a look on my personal data.

I am thinking as a last resort to disassembly my iphone and sell it as spares not including the flash chip...

Thanks!

 

[ksmith80209]

It has a reset phone function that completely wipes it.

 

[melodosgr]

It has a reset phone function that completely wipes it.

Thanks for your reply. I have already used that function but i am still a bit concerned to be honest. Are the data held within the flash memory more securely erased in terms of data protection? Is it harder to recover data? Who knows maybe in the year 2080 there will be pawn shops selling data from used iphones of the 2010's... and i just don't wanna be part of that brutal reality. LOL

 

[jsh]

Well, I think the 2G and 3G go through and actually overwrite the flash memory, but I'm pretty sure that they do not do so at the DoD recommendations. 3GS (and I assume 4) actually encrypt the flash drive, so they simply erase the key. Is it 100% secure? Of course not. But is it reasonably secure? Yes.

 

[melodosgr]

Well, I think the 2G and 3G go through and actually overwrite the flash memory, but I'm pretty sure that they do not do so at the DoD recommendations. 3GS (and I assume 4) actually encrypt the flash drive, so they simply erase the key. Is it 100% secure? Of course not. But is it reasonably secure? Yes.

So i take it as it's exactly the same logic that applies when you want to sell your hard drive.

This whole thing takes me back when Peter Graves was using he's Laptop Contraption and the disc was always burned afterwards 30 Years later its the same concept. Only safe when its physically destroyed