I Know Where You Live...

[tuco]

The following is a hypothetical situation. I have used a picture of a flower from a different website for obvious reasons. The picture of the flower came from someone's blog in Europe, showing-off the camera capabilities from their new GPS enabled cellphone.

The scenario:

- JoeBlog decides to update his grow journal here on ICMag:
"Hi guys. I thought I would update my grow but my girlfriend has taken-off with my camera for the weekend, so pictures from my cellphone will have to do"

JoeBlog takes a shot with his phone and posts up the image.

- LEO or some other unsavory character comes onto ICMag. They go into search mode and type in a search for "cellphone". Top of list comes JoeBlog's grow diary thanks to him mentioning that he took pictures with his "cellphone"

The unsavory character saves JoeBlog's picture to his hard drive and opens up Photoshop. He then goes to File>File Info and opens up the EXIF information for JoeBlog's picture. You see, what JoeBlog does not know is that his cellphone has tagged his photo with GPS data.

- Unsavory character then goes into Google maps and types in the minutes-seconds latitude/longitude co-ordinates.

- Unsavory character says: "ROAD TRIP!!!"

 

[devilgoob]

it might worried for other people, except the coordinates aren't accurate in the tagged data.

but what's weird is you've found it under google using more accurate ones, i hope that isnt too close to ya.

plus that image isnt from a cell phone, if it is...cool waa thats a good camera phone

 

[tuco]

plus that image isnt from a cell phone, if it is...cool waa thats a good camera phone

Yeah it is. It's from a Nokia N78 with 5 megapixel camera. Some iPhones also tag pictures with GPS data.

 

[CDM]

Ya.. technology..
Im an old time guy though.. and one of the old rules.. never take pictures..
I do like seeing the pics here, but I will not post any..
Ive never taking any pics of any grow.. ever.. The results are good enough for me!

 

[Oli4]

Nice topic man I made some with my Blackberry, now im thinking to delete these pics .... .

Grtz

Oli4

 

[ureapwhatusow]

I have exported every pic and tested it for this reason but I ceratinly wouldnt tell people in open forum exactly how it works

You just made it that much easier foir rippers and amature LEO to fuck with members stuff

 

[Wunderkind]

I have exported every pic and tested it for this reason but I ceratinly wouldnt tell people in open forum exactly how it works

You just made it that much easier foir rippers and amature LEO to fuck with members stuff

LOL, it's like the guidance counselor telling school kids to not get high with such & such household items. Good point.

 

[~fvk~]

It doesn't matter. If you're too lazy to take a preventative measure once you're in the know, then obviously you're going to get what's coming to you. This thread is very informative for the people who doubt or are ignorant of the fact that technology can and will come back to bite you in the ass. One click with an EXIF stripper and wallah, amateur LEO can go suck one... Besides that, I'm sure it's the smarter ones that troll this site anyways...

 

[Pythagllio]

Anyway I can spoof the info? There's a couple of DARE fanatics that I wouldn't mind seeing the look on their faces when LEO kicks in their door. Get out the popcorn!

 

[tuco]

ureapwhatyousow
You just made it that much easier foir rippers and amature LEO to fuck with members stuff

I see what you are saying and I did consider it. I'll delete the post if members or mod's think it's pertinent.

When I think about it. It's not so much of a concern for indoor, home growers. The GPS data is not 100% accurate and might only lead people to one's street or neighborhood. But for an outdoor grower who has a crop in the woods somewhere, it could be more of a problem; no curious neighbors and time to search a given area.

Anyone else think this should be deleted?

 

[FreezerBoy]

I think it should stay up. You haven't outed anyone and may well have prevented others from outing themselves.

 

[Wonderon]

I think its good info. I mean wouldn't you want to know about this? Seems like its only a matter of time though and I bet this kind of tech will invade all forms of photo taking. I hope not but I'm sure the ability is there.

 

[darkhollo]

Shit. This is not a secret.. it's just EXIF data in jpeg files. It's quite common knowledge. People who are scanning the forums as rippers are going to already know this, why not tell the members about it. And I'm sure if they are looking to rip from someone on the web they will be even more sophisticated than simple EXIF data.

Just buy/download an exif editor. There are tons of them out there. People are using synced GPS units and exif editors to ADD gps data to their files. Geotagging is what it's called. You can EASILY modify or remove this data.

Security through obscurity doesn't work. The best security comes from those that are informed so I say this thread should stay.

-dh

 

[Stay Puft]

It has been said before...
There are several free applications out there to remove the EXIF data from your Pics. I use this one:
http://www.rainbow-software.org/programs.html#JPG Cleaner
(JPEG Cleaner V2.6)
Stay_Safe

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

merely croping the image will remove this info. i like to crop mine down a bit before i upload, i find they get less 'fucked-up' thatway. this program COPIES the file, but leavesout the exif in the new rendering, as do most.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

 

[ExEcutioner]

Ya.. technology..
Im an old time guy though.. and one of the old rules.. never take pictures..
I do like seeing the pics here, but I will not post any..
Ive never taking any pics of any grow.. ever.. The results are good enough for me!

I too used to feel this way. then i realized that i would have never learned what i have had it not been for the pics others had taken, then i knew i would at some point take pics.

You said youve been in the game for a cool miniute so you didn't learn to grow online, but i did, so i want to be able to give back.