Are you sharing secret data with criminals with your photos?
Your digital images can be used to track your movements and activities without you even realising. When you take a photo your device adds a range of information hidden in the digital file that can provide an attacker with crucial information that can be used to fuel identity theft and other crimes.
This hidden information is called EXIF Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) data and can include details such as:
Date and time the photo was taken
Location data - GPS information (latitude, longitude, and sometimes altitude)
Camera make and model
Software used to edit the image
This information, along with the information on the social media site or web page you are posting the photos to, can provide a malicious individual with all the information they need to target you online.
Dangers of hidden data in photos
One of the most dangerous things about EXIF data is that it can be used in conjunction with other information on the internet to launch dangerous attacks.
Cyberstalking
If you are being cyberstalked or harassed online it is really important that you control what is shared online. EXIF data gives a potential attacker the ability to track your movements and figure out who you are by sharing your location. It is important this is removed before you post your photos.
This Vice documentary highlights how social media can facilitate cyberstalking and how it can be used as a tool for tracking people.
Identity Theft
Alternatively, an attacker could use personally identifiable information like your full name along with pictures you have posted on your social media to learn your date of birth (from birthday posts) and use that information to apply for credit cards or loans.
Attacking your personal device
An attacker could use EXIF data to identify the device you are using and try to compromise that device. Once they have access to your device they could control your communications, see your location and harvest private information from the device.
How to remove data from your photos
There are a few ways to remove EXIF data from your photos:
Using a photo editing software program - many have a feature that allows you to remove EXIF data from your photos.
Using a web service - there are some free and paid services that remove EXIF data from photos.
Social media platforms - some social media websites like Facebook and Twitter automatically scrub images of EXIF data from photos when they are uploaded.
How to remove EXIF data from your devices - Source: Comparitech:
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To remove metadata of images on an iPhone the simplest way is to use a third-party app. Popular options include ViewExif app and Exif Metadata, both charge a fee.
Here’s how to remove photo metadata on iOS with ViewExif:
1) Download and install the ViewExif app from the App Store.
2) Open the app and you will see a prompt to allow ViewExif to access your photos. You can choose to allow it to access all photos or just those you select.
3) If you choose the latter, you will be directed to your photos where you can select the ones you wish to edit.
4) Once you’ve selected your photos or albums, hit Done.
5) Now select the photo you wish to edit.
6) Select the eraser tool and hit Remove Metadata. ViewExif interface.
7) You’ll see a prompt requesting permission for the app to modify the photo. Select Modify and the metadata will be removed.
The ViewExif app also includes the option to share images directly from the app with or without metadata.
Note: There is a delete option within this app. Using this will completely delete an image from your iCloud storage, not just from the app.
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To remove metadata from an image on an Android device, you need an app. Popular options include Photo Metadata Remover - Clear Exif Metada and Photo Exif Editor – Metadata Editor. Both of these apps let you remove metadata for free.
1) Download and install the app on your device.
2) Open the app and you’ll see a few options: Choose Photos, Choose a Folder, or Take a Photo. To remove metadata from a single photo already in your library, select Choose Photos.Photo Metadata Remover app.
3) You’ll be asked to give the app permission to access your photos. Hit Allow.
4) Select the photo you wish to scrub and the app will automatically remove the metadata and let you know when the process is complete.
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For Mac users, you are only able to remove location data. To remove the remaining data, you’ll need to use a third-party app such as ImageOptim.
To remove location data, open the image in Preview, select Tools > Show Inspector, and click the information (i) tab. If there is no GPS tab here, your image has no location data associated with it. If there is a GPS tab, select it and click Remove Location Info.
Here’s how to remove the remaining metadata using ImageOptim.
1) Download the ImageOptim app from the tool’s website.
2) Go to Preferences and adjust the app settings as needed.
3) Drag your images into the ImageOptim window and the app does the rest for you.
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Windows allows you to remove EXIF metadata from single or multiple image files. To remove EXIF metadata from image files, take the following steps:
1) Navigate to the folder holding the images you want to edit.
2) Select the file (or files) you wish to delete metadata from.
3) Right-click and select Properties, then Details.
4) Select Remove Properties and Personal Information.
5) Click Create a copy with all possible properties removed.
6) Select OK and that’s it.
These steps create a copy of the image file minus the metadata. The original file will remain intact on your computer, be mindful of this so you upload the correct file later. If you’d rather not make a copy and simply scrub the file, choose Remove the following properties from this file in step 3. Then select the items you want to remove individually or click Select All to remove all items, before hitting OK.
Author: Karimah Ayinde, Advice Subject Matter Expert, The Cyber Helpline