[Full-disclosure] Android wipe unreliable

[Jeffrey Walton]

On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 1:46 PM, Jan Schejbal
<jan.mailinglisten at googlemail.com> wrote:
> We have discovered that the "wipe" function on Android does not reliably
> delete data on all devices. On a Nexus S running Android 2.3.6, we were
> able to recover user data after running a "wipe" both using the "factory
> data reset" from the menu and by wiping the device from recovery.
> ...

"Android Obscene (Can Be Seen),"
http://wirelessandmobilenews.com/2012/03/android-iphone-balckberry-security.html:

Owners keep a lot  personal information on cellphones, contacts, data
and even sexually explicit images. When you sell or lose a smartphone,
you should be cautious, but especially careful with Android
smartphones.
...

Siciliano bought used computers, thumb drives, smartphones and other
devices on Craigslist. BlackBerry and iPhone remote wipe and factory
reset removed all signs of the owners. On the five used Android
smartphones he found personal data, videos and was able profile the
owners.

Siciliano told Wireless and Mobile News that four Android smartphones
had been reset using the factory data reset function in Android.  On
the reset Android phones he was able to find PDF files, documents,
data and porn.
...