Yesterday it was all about Target+Missoni trending across the Twitterverse, today, the hot topic is the pair of leaked private photos taken from actress Scarlett Johansson's cell phone. Reportedly the FBI was notified, as the pair of revealing images were supposedly downloaded remotely from ScoJo's camera phone. The truth is a great many of us are storing private moments of our lives on our smartphones, the new digital hub, and they don't necessarily have to be so revealing. So here's what to do to keep your private content on your phone private...
First off, the best thing to do is NOT carry around photos that might reveal another side of you best left private in the first place. But it could also simply be photos of your family/friends or a set of images of harmless, but embarrassing nature. Our smartphones are often filled with private moments for ourselves to remember and share at our discretion. There are few steps to make sure you don't befall to a remote hacker:
1) Don't open emails and/or follow links from people you don't know on your smart phone. Just like on your computer, malware developers attempt to lure people to specific websites they created for the sole purpose of stealing a person's private info, including SMS text database (including deleted messages), contacts, music files, and yes, your photos. Most believe this is how Scarlett's phone was compromised and it's easier than the average user may realize.
2) Be suspicious and careful about reading/answering SMS messages from unknown parties. Past security vulnerabilities have been exploited using this method across Google Android, iOS and Windows Phone platforms.
3) Be leery of remote unlocking services. Yes, it's tempting to have someone else do the dirty work when it comes to unchaining your device from a provider, but it also opens the doors to possibly having your phone compromised. Jailbreaking is a liberating and legal avenue to go down, but it's advisable you're doing the driving.
4) Set up your device with a strong password. As noted in the video above, avoid the pitfall of using weak and easy to crack passwords like "1,2,3" or your birthday.
5) Don't download apps from sites or developers without checking who they are and reviewing outside feedback. Even app site/store endorsed apps have been revealed to tap into private information on your phone and send it back to companies for their own (usually harmless, but uninvited) use. Someone could gain access using a trojan horse app with a similar technique.
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Or, or, here's a thought: don't take pictures of your backside on your cell phone, especially if you're a starlet of some notoriety who doesn't want pictures of your 'tocks floating around the interweb.
Sorry, you already said that.
I think the point made before the list of "how to privatize" says it best, as does D. Ventriloquist. I have trouble understanding why in the world those kinds of pics would be on your phone at all. Especially if you know yourself to be a target for such attacks.
She should be able to take any kind of pictures she wants of herself and not have other people steal them, actually. The person/people who stole them are the criminals, not her.
no one's blaming the victim. they're simply pointing out that an ounce of prevention was available and she, like so many others, did not take it.
someone broke into my apartment once and robbed me of quite a bit of stuff. the deadbolt was installed improperly (by me) and therefore could not be latched. i had known this for two years. it's not my fault someone slipped the other lock and came in, but i have to admit that i took the risk. hundreds of dollars in lost property, the long-term hassle of trying to prove to the cable company that their box was stolen, and two years of unease every time i walked in the front door.
our right to not be robbed is not a forcefield. the principle of the thing will not deter the thieves.
It is interesting how quickly we are willing to form opinions of someone (whose right of privacy was clearly violated) we are all adults with the freedom to do as we please with ourselves, phones and whatever else belongs to us. It is never ok for someone to violate that right even if you are a celebrity. In my opinion it's comparable to breaking into someone's home and stealing.
If I had her "tock" I would take a million pics of it before it started to sag. She should be able to have the same expectation of privacy as others. Its not like she posted it on facebook here.
If you're all about helping people maintain privacy, then why mention Johansson's name? I'm sure there's a chance that someone hadn't heard about it already (I hadn't), but now any newcomers to the story will probably go straight to Google to see for themselves.
Oh, I know why you had to use her name... It makes a catchier headline.
woah, wait...i actually hadn't heard of this.
this is a deplorable invasion of scarlett's privacy!! totally googling scarlett's buttocks right now. this depravity, i must see. totes.
note to self: delete inappropriate photos of own buttocks from girlfriend's phone. no one wants to see that horror show.
Always good to just leave your face out of the pic, too. Just saying.