How to Securely Sanitize Devices after trashing them?

EnthusiastXYZ

Limp Gawd
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Jun 26, 2020
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How do you sanitize network and related electronics to prevent as much identification as possible after you trash those devices? For example, MAC addresses and IMEI numbers on mobile phones are hardware-based and some apps do read them and preserve that information in their databases. There are degaussers for hard drives, but what about typical mobile devices? In "Mr. Robot" show, the protagonist throws some chips in his microwave and fries them when suspecting detection, but it is just a show... Are there special electronics shredders and/or incinerators for such needs?
 
The solution is to never use the hardware MAC/IMEI in the first place. You can change your MAC into a (semi-)randomly generated one during system boot, which leaves no trace once you wipe the computer.

For changing your IMEI on Android, you can use Xposed IMEI Changer or similar. Just change it back before you dispose of the device. Be aware that messing with your IMEI is illegal in a number of countries.
 
You do realize that your MAC address is used for layer 2 and 2.5 functions and is not seen past the first hop router which in most cases is owned by you?
 
You do realize that your MAC address is used for layer 2 and 2.5 functions and is not seen past the first hop router which in most cases is owned by you?
MAC address can be read and transmitted to remote systems, then tied to the IP address that sent it. And from IP addresses, the user that owns the hardware can be tracked.
 
MAC address can be read and transmitted to remote systems, then tied to the IP address that sent it. And from IP addresses, the user that owns the hardware can be tracked.
/yawn ... There are many things that can be read on system to do that. This is generally what tracking cookies are all about. Getting the MAC from a PC remotely requires more than html or javascript and if the user has been that compromised the MAC is the least of their worries. Then again the OP has a nemesis so ....
 
Getting the MAC from a PC remotely requires more than html or javascript
MAC addresses are embedded in IPv6 stateless autoconfiguration addresses by default (which is why the Privacy Extensions had to be created).

Both the MAC and the IMEI can be used to connect the owner of a device to an online identity, and some people don't want that.
 
Are people really this paranoid? Unless you are dealing with highly sensitive data its not worth the trouble. If you are that concerned, take it to the nearest equipment shredder.
 
MAC addresses are embedded in IPv6 stateless autoconfiguration addresses by default (which is why the Privacy Extensions had to be created).

Both the MAC and the IMEI can be used to connect the owner of a device to an online identity, and some people don't want that.

Again, you are talking about a problem that was solved something like 12 years ago. If the OP is using an unpatched OS that old ...
 
Are people really this paranoid? Unless you are dealing with highly sensitive data its not worth the trouble. If you are that concerned, take it to the nearest equipment shredder.
On this forum? A ton..
 
Yep hire a equipment shredder, give them your name, your phone number, your address, have them pic up the device, than make sure they destroy that evil MAC address.
 
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