We’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words right? This means that a photo can reveal so much and raise various thoughts, comments, questions, and concerns. Viewing a picture of a mountain view can display the magnificence of nature that might not be justly described verbally. Describing the physical aspects of a person can leave it open to interpretation of the receiver whereas a picture can clearly show the details of the image.
Our smart phones and devices have become cameras. Are we buying communication devices or cameras these days? We collect galleries of photos and store them on these devices. Images may be scenic, personal or informational. When checking into a hotel, have you ever been asked to provide your vehicle’s license plate? Many will take a photo of the plate to show to the check-in assistant. How about medical and credit cards, license information, passwords or other personal information? If you take a picture of these items, they are automatically added to your photo storage.
So what’s the harm? Well, if your device is compromised you may be providing the cyber crook with personally identifiable information that they can use to access your accounts or steal your identity. If you have a cryptocurrency account there is a form of Android malware, CherryBlos, that can rob your account.
Here are some tips to protect your photo gallery:
- Delete the photo as soon as no longer needed.
- Create a ‘hidden’ album on your device.
- Do not allow 3rd party apps access to your photos.
- Transfer all of your photos to the cloud or offline storage device.
- Restrict access to photos with permissions.
- Don’t store personal or sensitive information on mobile devices.
Treat your personal information like money. Protect it. Consider all the risks associated with giving out, storing and sharing too much information.
Resources:
Hide photos on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with the Hidden Album
Set photo permissions on you iPhone or iPad
Hide your sensitive photos & videos