Available data fields in Exif are often written to by the device that took the image at the time it was shot but can also be left by processing programs like Photoshop. The information is used by programs to understand better what is contained inside the file to aid in sorting and other functions. While many social media platforms have largely eliminated this problem by stripping out metadata from files, there are still many images online with this data left entirely intact.Įxchangeable image file format data, or Exif data, is information that accompanies image files and offers many fields that can be populated or left blank.

If people don't know what kind of data can be retained in a particular file format, they won't know if they're putting themselves at risk by making a specific file public. Metadata, or the data that describes files like images or videos, is useful during reconnaissance to investigators because it's often overlooked by otherwise careful targets.

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This data can include the device the photo was taken on, the geolocation of the image, and other unique characteristics that can fingerprint an image as haven been taken by the same person or device.

Besides what's visible in the picture itself, metadata about when and where the photo was taken can also be recoverable.

By tricking a target into sending a photo containing GPS coordinates and additional information, a hacker can learn where a mark lives or works simply by extracting the Exif data hidden inside the image file.įor hackers or OSINT researchers gathering digital evidence, photos can be a rich source of data. Metadata contained in images and other files can give away a lot more information than the average user might think.

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