
Tesla media units are full of owner's private data even after a factory reset - techslave
https://insideevs.com/news/419525/tesla-data-leak-personal-info-ebay/
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Someone1234
I've seen these issues before professionally, and they typically originate
from lack of internal storage APIs and management buy-in for all teams to use
them and _only_ them.

I'm purely speculating here but imagine if every team (Calendar, Spotify
Integration, Netflix Integration, WiFi, etc) was writing their own storage
code; the MCU is a glorified Ubuntu distro so different teams decide to
scatter files all all over the place or re-use existing Linux services (e.g.
WiFi credential storage). Particularly if they're doing the smart thing and
giving each app/components its own Linux user/UID.

Then the inevitable question becomes: How do you wrangle it all for a reset?
That's where a storage API comes into play, or you just "nuke the entire thing
from orbit" and overwrite the running partition using some stored image using
a pre-boot environment but even then the data might not be removed from the
physical storage chips.

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sandworm101
If it is a glorified ubuntu dist, then all the aps can dump user-specific data
into a 'home'. Then nuke that directory as needed.

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Someone1234
Only if you don't plan to leverage any parts of the underlying operating
system. Once you start utilizing Linux Services, you may leak data beyond home
directories.

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mehrdada
Last time I was trying to sell my Tesla, I used factory reset, entered
credentials, the car rebooted, data still fully here. Tried again multiple
times. Nothing happened. I don’t think that functionality is tested properly
even for the basic erasure that you can visually confirm, let alone properly
wiping the storage. If someone is reading this at Tesla, you should encrypt
storage and destroy the key on reset.

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mixmastamyk
Lack of privacy is one of the reasons I’ve not bought a Tesla.

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illumin8
I have a Model 3, and bought the FSD upgrade for $2K when it was on sale for a
couple weeks. I've been wanting to schedule the upgrade of the autopilot
computer from hardware 2.5 to hardware 3, but now I'm scared. I always
considered a Tesla to be like an iPhone - you factory reset/wipe it before you
sell it to someone, but if the manufacturer swaps out your computer and
doesn't have good hygiene, yikes!

TLDR: I'm going to wait until I hear they have good data hygiene before I let
them swap out my computer.

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rkagerer
I'm surprised nobody has taken them to Small Claims to recuperate the
obnoxious $1k fee for relinquishing your old, defunct part. Seems like an easy
win.

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toomuchtodo
Core charges are permitted under statute requiring the return of replaced
parts.

The problem is the lack of consistency. The core charge communicated can vary
wildly between locations and staff performing the work, and some owners are
told the part is restricted and no return is possible. In these cases, legal
complaints with your state’s Attorney General might improvise Tesla’s
consistency across the org. With other issues, I’ve had good luck with
certified letters to Tesla’s legal service address, YMMV.

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sschueller
What about all the data that is sitting on Tesla's servers? Do they delete
that when you sell the car?

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paulcole
tesla stock price is too high imo

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dang
Url changed from [https://jalopnik.com/researcher-discovers-that-old-tesla-
med...](https://jalopnik.com/researcher-discovers-that-old-tesla-media-
control-units-1843322544), which points to this.

