Sharing data over the Internet can expose your privacy if you don’t do it right. Something quite common is sharing photos on social networks, for example, where we blur personal information. We can see this in bank cards after a purchase, a concert ticket, a plane ticket… Now, is it really a good idea? In this article we are going to explain what you should avoid to avoid problems and how to upload this type of content safely.
Blurring image data may seem like a good option, but it isn’t always. Surely you have ever seen a photo on social networks in which something appears that the other person does not want to be seen clearly. It can be a report where the DNI appears, an address or any other data. This can be a problem.
Do not upload photos with blurred data
But what is the problem? The thing is that today this is not a good solution. Technology has advanced a lot and it is relatively easy to decipher what is behind a photo that has blurred or deleted certain data. This is where machine learning tools come into play. They are capable of deciphering what is behind a pixelated or out-of-focus photograph.
In fact, a group of security researchers from the University and Cornell University have applied a simple algorithm that makes it possible to identify faces that have been blurred. Although it is true that they are not always able to identify it, they have reached a 71% probability and even reached 83% after 5 attempts.
But this can not only be applied when identifying faces in a photograph, but also to see the numbering of a card that has been blurred or anything similar. It is not good to use these techniques to prevent them from accessing confidential information, such as documents, figures or any data.
There are times when you can see very slightly blurred images, so that is even easier to identify. The weaker it is, the more easily they will expose your information on the network and create problems for you.
How to upload content safely
So, what should you do to upload this type of content safely and not have problems? It is best to completely cover the name, the numbering or any type of data that you want to prevent from leaking. Instead of blurring it, although you may think it’s enough, seek to cover it completely.
It’s as simple as using a photo editing application and pasting a square or rectangle on top of that information. It will be completely covered and they will not be able to use other machine learning services to decipher what you have blurred to upload it to networks.
Once you have saved that image with the content that interests you completely covered or even cut off, you will no longer run the risk that they can decipher it. Anything that is simply blurring, even if a human has a very, very difficult time doing it, through software they could achieve it.
In short, as you can see, it is important to upload perfectly protected content to the Internet. It is key that you avoid using methods such as blurring photos, as they could decipher the content. The best thing is that you cross it out completely, to reduce the risk as much as possible and not have problems. Just as they can hijack your social networks, they could put all the content you upload at risk.
