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. Don't Miss: How to Hide Secret Data Inside an Image or Audio File in Seconds.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.

Exif data viewer location