 jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2
1 edit | Amazing what you can find on eBay I feel this falls under "security", but Mods feel free to move it if it doesn't belong here.
Anyway, I just bought a used Hard Drive on eBay for my daughters old Dell laptop because the original died. (Actually, she gave me the Laptop and bought a new one, so I figured I'd mess around with it just for fun).
Threw the drive into a USB enclosure and fired it up on one of my desktop machines to test it.
The thing is loaded with personal data! (No, I won't go into details about what kind of data, but nothing illegal that I've seen so far). However, I'm still looking into the files.
Amazing...What are these people thinking?
You think I should notify the seller and tell him not to be such a bonehead in the future?
Oh boy, here we go. 
Let this be a warning to anyone who sells a hard drive. (I'm sure most here are a lot smarter than that). 
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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 DrunkulaPremium
join:2000-06-12
Denton, TX | I would notify the buyer. Just my 2 cents... |
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jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2 | said by Drunkula:I would notify the buyer. Just my 2 cents...
You mean the seller...I'm the buyer.
Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing...depending on what I find.
If I find something bad, I may be notifying more than the seller. 
(So far, it looks innocent enough).
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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 jaykaykay4 Ever YoungPremium,MVM
join:2000-04-13
Scottsdale, AZ
kudos:19
 ·Speakeasy
| reply to jabarnut
Yes. I would notify the guy/business that it came from. Perhaps, by doing so, the info on the next one sold won't be left by this seller. That, of course, is just a golden wish on my part. What are these people thinking? Nothing! That's part of the problem. They aren't thinking!!!  |
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 psafuxPremium,VIP
join:2005-11-10
kudos:2 | reply to jabarnut
I would dban it and move on with life.
Contacting them about opens you up to a potential world of liability that you don't want to deal with. You have no idea what kind of person it came from and what kind of crazy they possess.
As it stands, there is no proof of a damn thing (except this thread).
oh, and stop looking at the files. It's none of your business. Again, liability. If you see kiddy porn, you have a big issue. Prove (and I mean *prove* you didn't put it there). Time stamps don't count, there are countless programs that will change time stamps, creation dates, modified dates.
Move on. |
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jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2
1 edit | said by psafux:...
You have no idea what kind of person it came from and what kind of crazy they possess.
Absolutely true. I'm still looking at the files as I post this. Doesn't look like they're "crazy", so far...simply careless.
Oh, and if this were you, would you stop looking at the files? I somehow doubt it.
But yeah, I can see where there could be problems if I were to find something bad.
(Edit) Ok, I've finished looking at everything, and there is nothing illegal whatsoever.
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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 StuartMWWho Is John Galt?Premium
join:2000-08-06
Galt's Gulch
·CenturyLink
1 edit | reply to jabarnut
quote:
The thing is loaded with personal data!
LOL
I low-level format (with vendors utility) all HD's I remove from my boxes even if I end up keeping/reusing them. If they're beyond repair I destroy them with a hammer.
Reminds me of the guy who took his (loaded with kiddie porn) computer to Best Buy some years ago,
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Don't feed trolls--it only makes them grow! |
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psafuxPremium,VIP
join:2005-11-10
kudos:2 | reply to jabarnut
said by jabarnut:Oh, and if this were you, would you stop looking at the files? I somehow doubt it. To stop something would require that you first started it. My answer to your question would be "no" - I would not be able to stop as a result of never having started.
One thing to keep in mind about me (specifically) is that I have worked for smaller locally owned computer repair shops (not best buy, etc) for much of the last 10 years. A large foundation of the trust/integrity that comes with being a tech is -not- rifling through peoples data.
I am in banking computers all the time which are left unlocked for us to do what we need to do. I could pull all sorts of information. I had a police captain's system in my possession a couple of weeks ago, lots of tasy tidbits on there I am sure.
I am remotely connected to business and personal systems most days of the week where there is no active end user - nobody sitting watching for security or compliance purposes. I have free reign of the system and could pull all sorts of data.
I work for several large clients and have 24/7 access to all of their systems anytime day or night. The possibilities are truly endless.
I have many experiences I could share (including one that ends with a long-time customer being arrested in our store as a result of a coworker digging through his data).
The bottom line is no.. I do not dig through data. |
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jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2 | Ok, I understand. However, you're in an entirely different situation than I am. If I were you I'd be a lot more careful as well.
But I'm just a nobody who bought a used hard drive on eBay. And there was data on it, so I couldn't help but check it out.
In the end, no harm, no foul. In fact, I think I will inform the seller (since I've found nothing that warrants further action), and give them a heads up about selling drives in the future.
Hey, it's the least I can do.
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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StuartMWWho Is John Galt?Premium
join:2000-08-06
Galt's Gulch Reviews:
·CenturyLink
| said by jabarnut:In fact, I think I will inform the seller (since I've found nothing that warrants further action), and give them a heads up about selling drives in the future.
It'll be even funnier if the data isn't the sellers
Of course this is from someone that
* shreds documents with any identifiable information on it.
* uses a strong magnet on the magstripe of old CC's etc then cuts them into small pieces.
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Don't feed trolls--it only makes them grow! |
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jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2 | said by StuartMW:It'll be even funnier if the data isn't the sellers
Lol...yeah, good point. It's entirely possible that's true.
Some of these sellers just accumulate junk like this, and don't even bother to check them out before they put them up for sale....just to make a buck.
Speaking of making a buck, can't wait to use some of these banking account numbers.
LOL! PLEASE don't take me seriously... I'm just kidding, ya know?
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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StuartMWWho Is John Galt?Premium
join:2000-08-06
Galt's Gulch Reviews:
·CenturyLink
| said by jabarnut:PLEASE don't take me seriously...
Your IP has been logged (really!) and the authorities have been notified 
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Don't feed trolls--it only makes them grow! |
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 AVDRespice, Adspice, ProspicePremium
join:2003-02-06
Onion, NJ | reply to jabarnut
I would never buy a used hard drive in the first place. |
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jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2 | reply to StuartMW
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psafuxPremium,VIP
join:2005-11-10
kudos:2 | reply to jabarnut
My original advice still stands and with good reason. Doing the right thing doesn't always net good results. If you think courts have not ruled on data liability issues, you are sorely mistaken.
Dban and move on. |
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StuartMWWho Is John Galt?Premium
join:2000-08-06
Galt's Gulch Reviews:
·CenturyLink
| reply to AVD
said by AVD:I would never buy a used hard drive in the first place.
I almost did recently. I was trying to find a 2.5" PATA HD for an oldish laptop. After much looking I was able to locate a NOS (New Old Stock) one. I don't think anyone makes PATA drives anymore.
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Don't feed trolls--it only makes them grow! |
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psafuxPremium,VIP
join:2005-11-10
kudos:2 | reply to StuartMW
said by StuartMW:* uses a strong magnet on the magstripe of old CC's etc then cuts them into small pieces.
Hah, I send credit cards through the shredder twice (second time in an envelope since they are bits) and dispose of them in different trash cans. Some of it goes out to the curb one week and the rest another week. No real schedule, just whenever I realize "hey I still need to throw this out". |
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jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2
1 edit | reply to AVD
said by AVD:I would never buy a used hard drive in the first place.
Why not? I've bought many...(usually to resurrect old machines), and they often work great.
I also do a thorough test and format before I use them.
When you're dealing with much older machines, it's the way to go as far as I'm concerned.
The Dell site sells the same drive for a hundred bucks, and I bought this one for $20.00.
I'm good with that...the data included was just an unexpected extra.
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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StuartMWWho Is John Galt?Premium
join:2000-08-06
Galt's Gulch Reviews:
·CenturyLink
| reply to psafux
said by psafux:Hah, I send credit cards through the shredder twice...
Well you're not paranoid when they really are out to get you
PS: Good idea. Thanks for the tip.
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Don't feed trolls--it only makes them grow! |
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psafuxPremium,VIP
join:2005-11-10
kudos:2 | reply to jabarnut
AVD is likely getting at the fact you have no real idea how long the drive has been used nor in what capacity. HD Tune Pro would be a good thing to run to at least get a snapshot of the hours it has been powered on but it leaves a lot of variables to the unknown. The drive could last 4 years or 4 days.
All in all, it's a gamble. |
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