EXIF Data on YOUR photos

[Guest Keal G Seo]

Well was just doing my "Learn something new every day" activity and came across something interesting. Wasn't sure if I should post this in here or over in "Show and Tell". I guess if it gets enough interest or concern we could suggest it as a sticky somewhere. But anyway here is the deal:

When you take photos with your phone or newer cameras they have info that is kind of hidden, like writing on the back of a photo. This data includes your camera or cell phone type and all the settings you had for that picture. Not a big deal right? Well as it turns out it also includes GPS data if available. It happens even if you don't have "GeoTagging" activated, that is a separate feature. This is disturbing to me for a couple of reasons. Anyone that knows about this data, can view the picture and how to access it now knows where that picture was taken. Why is this important? First is theft, especially if you are posting pics of nice firearms or firearm collections. Second is this is just one more way for something like PRISM or any other program to track you.

You know I could sit here and come up with 1000 reasons why this is bad including family pics for pedos and secret spots (like hunting spots) wont be so secret after you post that pic that you didn't think anyone could identify where you were etc etc etc. Lets just get down to the fix: There is plenty of software out there that if you can afford it that will offer somewhat easy fixes for it like Photoshop and Lightroom. I have also found a website that does it straight from the browser and makes you a new copy of it without the EXIF data.

If you think this is conspiracy, just go load up one of your photos on this site to view the EXIF data. If the GPS in your phone or camera was active at the time (had a signal) then you get the Lat/Long for where you were.

http://www.verexif.com/en/ 

I am not saying we need to remove this info from every picture we take but to give careful consideration as to whether or not you want that info publicly available.

[GlockSpock]

The good thing about a lot of sights (Gunlistings.org, Craigslist I think) is that a lot of them remove the GPS metadata when a photo is uploaded. However, there are many instances in which many people have probably posted something for sale on forums in which the GPS metadata could have easily been found. Couple that with a thief, and you have a theft.

 

Everyone should investigate whether your camera/phone stores this data. Personally, I like this capability and it is great for so many things. However, just be knowledgeable and remove it anytime you send someone a photo of something you are trying to sale, etc.

[Oh Shoot]

Everyone should investigate whether your camera/phone stores this data.

 
GPS aside, I don't know of any phone that doesn't store basic EXIF info into JPEGs, whether it saves them in that format or converts from the cam's native RAW. But can't see any of it as any kind of security risk. Even the date field isn't reliable, as date in cam can be set wrong, or not set at all.
 
But the GPS possibility is another matter I guess.
 
Btw, there are lots of little utils that will strip the info and resave them (some claiming to do it losslessly), and many photo editors have a "Save for Web" function, which strips it also, from Photoshop/Elements to little freebies like IrfanView (I highly recommend having this proggie btw -- it's the Swiss Army Knife of photo editing, and shows all info fields also.) I keep it set as default to display all image types.   http://irfanview.com
 
Here's common fields for most any digital cam in the EXIF, from one of my pics from pretty much antique now Kodak P850:
 
----------------
Make - EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Model - KODAK P850 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 230
YResolution - 230
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software -
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 228
ExposureTime - 1/20 seconds
FNumber - 2.80
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 100
ExifVersion - 0221
DateTimeOriginal - 2008:07:19 23:30:08
DateTimeDigitized - 2008:07:19 23:30:08
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/20 seconds
ApertureValue - F 2.83
ExposureBiasValue - 1.00
MaxApertureValue - F 2.64
MeteringMode - Center weighted average
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash not fired, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength - 6.00 mm
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 2592
ExifImageHeight - 1944
InteroperabilityOffset - 896
ExposureIndex - 100
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 0.00 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 36 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - Low gain up
Contrast - Soft
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown

Maker Note (Vendor): -

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 8180
JpegIFByteCount - 5974
 
----------------
 
- OS

Edited July 11, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[GlockSpock]

GPS aside, I don't know of any phone that doesn't store basic EXIF info into JPEGs, whether it saves them in that format or converts from the cam's native RAW. But can't see any of it as any kind of security risk. Even the date field isn't reliable, as date in cam can be set wrong, or not set at all.

 

But the GPS possibility is another matter I guess.

 

Btw, there are lots of little utils that will strip the info and resave them (some claiming to do it losslessly), and many photo editors have a "Save for Web" function, which strips it also, from Photoshop/Elements to little freebies like IrfanView (I highly recommend having this proggie btw -- it's the Swiss Army Knife of photo editing).

 

Here's common fields for most any digital cam in the EXIF, from one of my pics from pretty much antique now Kodak P850:

 

----------------

Make - EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Model - KODAK P850 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 230
YResolution - 230
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software -
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 228
ExposureTime - 1/20 seconds
FNumber - 2.80
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 100
ExifVersion - 0221
DateTimeOriginal - 2008:07:19 23:30:08
DateTimeDigitized - 2008:07:19 23:30:08
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/20 seconds
ApertureValue - F 2.83
ExposureBiasValue - 1.00
MaxApertureValue - F 2.64
MeteringMode - Center weighted average
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash not fired, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength - 6.00 mm
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 2592
ExifImageHeight - 1944
InteroperabilityOffset - 896
ExposureIndex - 100
SensingMethod - One-chip color area sensor
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
SceneType - A directly photographed image
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 0.00 x
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 36 mm
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - Low gain up
Contrast - Soft
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
SubjectDistanceRange - Unknown

Maker Note (Vendor): -

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
Orientation - Top left
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 8180
JpegIFByteCount - 5974

 

----------------

 

- OS
 

 

Exactly. Most of it is harmless (unless you have the CSI sort that can determine where you took the photo based upon the timestamp and shutter speed cross checked against weather data and cloud coverage for that day).  :ph34r:

[Guest Keal G Seo]

Exactly. Most of it is harmless (unless you have the CSI sort that can determine where you took the photo based upon the timestamp and shutter speed cross checked against weather data and cloud coverage for that day).  :ph34r:

Yeah most of it is, but take a picture from you cell phone and check it out. :O

[Oh Shoot]

Yeah most of it is, but take a picture from you cell phone and check it out. :o

 

My antique RAZR 3 only shows:

 

----------

 

XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
YCbCrPositioning - Centered
ExifOffset - 184
ExifVersion - 0210
ComponentsConfiguration - YCbCr
FlashPixVersion -
ColorSpace - sRGB
ExifImageWidth - 640
ExifImageHeight - 480

Thumbnail: -
Compression - 6 (JPG)
XResolution - 72
YResolution - 72
ResolutionUnit - Inch
JpegIFOffset - 262
JpegIFByteCount - 1694
 

------------

 

I realize smart phones almost undoubtedly include much more?

 

- OS

Edited July 11, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[peejman]

iphone4 photo stored on my PC here at work...

 

From that site above:

 

Exif data

Camera make : Apple Camera model : iPhone 4 Date/Time : 2013/06/02 17:16:54 Resolution : 2592 x 1936 Flash used : No (auto) Focal length : 3.8mm (35mm equivalent 35mm) Exposure time : 0.0013 s (1/789) Aperture : f/2.8 ISO equiv. : 80 Whitebalance : Auto Metering Mode : pattern Exposure : program (auto) Remove ExifAnother image

There is no GPS info

 

 

 

 

 

Then right clicking on the photo on the computer and viewing the properties, then details tab shows the above info plus stuff related to its location on the PC and that's it.

 

 

 

edit... and +1 for irfanview.  Excellent piece of freeware.

 

Edited July 11, 2013 by peejman

[Slpeod]

I thought I would check a photo I sent to Vanilla Gorilla for the UBR he got from me.... Definately some concerns for people who are listing stuff to sites, in just two clicks it gave me directions to the post office where I mailed the package and took the photo.

EXIF DATA

Camera make : Apple Camera model : iPhone 5 Date/Time : 2013/07/10 09:24:53 Resolution : 3264 x 2448 Flash used : No Focal length : 4.1mm (35mm equivalent 33mm) Exposure time : 0.050 s (1/20) Aperture : f/2.4 ISO equiv. : 80 Whitebalance : Auto Metering Mode : pattern Exposure : program (auto) GPS Latitude : N 36º 35.66' 0" GPS Longitude : W 87º 24.97' 0" GPS Altitude : 151.04m

[dlm37015]

does this mean I cant take pictures of my plants

[wewoapsiak]

Yep, that's how Anonymous helped get the employee from Burger King caught that posted a pic of him standing on lettuce.

[Guest Keal G Seo]

Yeah my LG P999 (G2x) also tries to grab gps info...luckily though I don't keep service on it (use it through wifi with magic jack app for voice and google voice for text) so it doesn't get any gps signals. I know it can if being tracked but in checking my photos it just lists a "?" for the lat/lon.

[UncleJak]

Thanks for posting this. I checked both smart phones and they don't store gps. I knew I wore a tinfoil hat for a reason!!

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[Murgatroy]

From my phone according to the site linked:

 

Camera make : LG Electronics Camera model : VM670 Date/Time : 2012/07/13 14:39:53 Resolution : 512 x 384 Focal length : 4.3mm

[Guest Keal G Seo]

Glad to see it isn't as a big of a problem for everyone as I initially thought it might be. Still a good thing to check before posting I suppose though.

[NoBanStan]

The data included depends on the capability of the device or features enabled. I never allow any of my devices to geo-tag and my online photo albums aren't shared.

 

Typically if I upload something to TGO for instance, I just manually remove the EXIFS. (On Windows 7: right click on the image file > properties > details tab > remove properties and personal information at the bottom)

[Oh Shoot]

Typically if I upload something to TGO for instance, I just manually remove the EXIFS. (On Windows 7: right click on the image file > properties > details tab > remove properties and personal information at the bottom)...

 

I always open my camera pix on puter, as always crop or tweak them some way or another ... then use "save for web" out of Photoshop or Irfanview, which strips all info, just part of the optimization process to make them a bit smaller also.

 

- OS

[NoBanStan]

I always open my camera pix on puter, as always crop or tweak them some way or another ... then use "save for web" out of Photoshop or Irfanview, which strips all info, just part of the optimization process to make them a bit smaller also.

 

- OS

 

Same, unless it's just a text to a friend or relative, I wait until I can get to my PC. I've got photoshop but I don't typically open photos with it unless I plan to edit. We have every digital picture we've taken since I think 2002.. I tend to not edit often than I do :D