0:00:03 > 0:00:05Hello, good evening and welcome to tonight's show.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Here's a big number for you.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11We spend over £10 billion a year upgrading our computers,
0:00:11 > 0:00:13smartphones, hard drives, TVs
0:00:13 > 0:00:16and with all your old kit destined for scrap heaps like this,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19how can you be sure things like your bank details,
0:00:19 > 0:00:23or your photographs or other personal information remain safe?
0:00:23 > 0:00:26You might go through your old computers and phones
0:00:26 > 0:00:30and delete the files before you chuck everything out, but how certain
0:00:30 > 0:00:34are you that your data still doesn't end up in the hands of cyber crooks?
0:00:34 > 0:00:37On tonight's show we go behind the headlines to reveal
0:00:37 > 0:00:39the science of cyber security.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Coming up: Jem and Dallas
0:00:41 > 0:00:45find out how hard it is to destroy computer files as they go
0:00:45 > 0:00:48head to head with the data recovery experts.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54- That's the sort of thing.- Yeah, I usually find that does the trick with electronics!
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Maggie Philbin joins us to test
0:00:58 > 0:01:02whether phone hacking is any easier today than it was 30 years ago.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07What we want to see is can we actually tap into the data
0:01:07 > 0:01:10that goes in and out of their mobile phones?
0:01:11 > 0:01:15'And I check out the cloud where it seems we're all
0:01:15 > 0:01:19'storing our music, photos and personal information.'
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Hard drives and memory sticks become obsolete, you need to keep changing them,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26that's no longer a problem with the cloud. It just continues to grow.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31But first, have a look at this.
0:01:31 > 0:01:37This is a ton of discarded hard drives which are about to be crushed and shredded in that machine there.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42I am looking at it wondering just how much personal information is sitting right here.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44It makes you think.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52It is terrifying just how much digital information
0:01:52 > 0:01:56we collect about ourselves over the years.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Now this is an old BBC computer from the office which is going to
0:01:59 > 0:02:01be thrown out today.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05But I am opening it up and on it is some of my stuff, old scripts
0:02:05 > 0:02:09articles I've written. Look at this for instance,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13this is a call sheet which has a lot of personal information on it.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16It has what everyone is doing. Liz Bonnin's phone number!
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Let's do the responsible thing and let's pull that into the
0:02:19 > 0:02:25recycle bin but as we know this can be emptied so let's delete that.
0:02:25 > 0:02:26"Empty recycle Bin?"
0:02:26 > 0:02:29"Are you sure, Dallas, you want to delete these items?" Yes, I am.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Job done... Or is it?
0:02:35 > 0:02:39I'm off to meet a man who reckons he can access all those files
0:02:39 > 0:02:40I just deleted.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43You might think I am driving to MI5 or MI6 or somewhere like that,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47I'm actually off to a little house in rural Suffolk.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Pete Warren is an investigative journalist on a mission to
0:02:51 > 0:02:54warn us all about the dangers of throwing away computers.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58It only takes him a moment to remove my hard drive
0:02:58 > 0:03:00and plug it into his computer.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Even though I thought it was completely wiped,
0:03:03 > 0:03:07in no time at all, he's browsing through my deleted documents.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14As far as I was concerned, I had deleted it and it was gone but there it is.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16So how easy is it to get all this data back?
0:03:16 > 0:03:20I would say it is criminally easy.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25Because, basically, all of that data still resides in the computer,
0:03:25 > 0:03:30though there is now increasingly a criminal market developing in data.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33If you go to Africa for example,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37you will find that hard drives are 50% more expensive
0:03:37 > 0:03:39if they have data on them.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43One good example was somebody who sent his hard drive away,
0:03:43 > 0:03:44thought it had been destroyed
0:03:44 > 0:03:48and suddenly he received a phone call from some of the States
0:03:48 > 0:03:50in the former Soviet Union, asking for, I think
0:03:50 > 0:03:54it was around £300 for the recovery of some of his personal photographs.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56'Which of course is blackmail.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01'It just goes to show how important it is to properly delete your files.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05'So why doesn't pressing the delete button work?'
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I've come to the world leaders of data recovery to help me
0:04:08 > 0:04:13understand a little bit more and to find out exactly what is going on inside my hard drive.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Now here is my question - why it doesn't delete mean delete?
0:04:20 > 0:04:23If you think of this as your hard drive
0:04:23 > 0:04:25and the pages are containing your files,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29when you delete a file and remove it from your recycle bin,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33what you are doing is just removing
0:04:33 > 0:04:36the entry from the table of contents.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40The link that you would normally have to the data is lost,
0:04:40 > 0:04:41but the data is still there.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44So that's the key,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47saving a file leaves a physical trace on the desk which is not
0:04:47 > 0:04:50affected by pressing delete.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54So here you have a spinning platter just like a record,
0:04:54 > 0:04:59and you have the armature here which would be the arm of the record player.
0:04:59 > 0:05:05Then right at the end, very small, is the read/write head.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10Instead of leaving grooves in the record, what happens is this
0:05:10 > 0:05:13uses magnetic polarities to write the data to the disc.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16OK, brilliant. Thank you.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20for example, let us say I really, really want to get rid of the data
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and perhaps I want to throw away a hard drive or computer and
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I do not want it to get into the wrong hands,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30is it just a case of getting physical with it?
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Is that what I have to do, beat it up a bit?
0:05:32 > 0:05:34That would be a way.
0:05:34 > 0:05:40I would say that to really find out, why don't you go away
0:05:40 > 0:05:42and find a few old computers and hard drives,
0:05:42 > 0:05:46give them some physical abuse, bring them back here
0:05:46 > 0:05:50and we will see how successful you have been.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53That is a challenge. I will be interested to see how you guys get on.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55'It's game on.
0:05:55 > 0:06:01'So I've rounded up some gear destined for the scrap heap, five old computers,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04'a memory stick and a portable hard drive.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07'I'll load them all up with a selection of pictures that
0:06:07 > 0:06:09'I'd rather no-one ever saw again.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14'Now I am going to see how much it would take to completely wipe them.'
0:06:14 > 0:06:19Oh! Bang Christmas party - that one might need to be destroyed.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22'I think some extra muscle will help.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25'So with my first electronic victim on a chopping block,
0:06:25 > 0:06:29'I've also let Jem know it's loaded with dodgy pictures of him too.'
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Yes, that is the sort of thing.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42I usually find that does the trick with electronics.
0:06:42 > 0:06:43That is a hard drive there.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47This label lets us know what we're doing,
0:06:47 > 0:06:52- we have hit that with a sledgehammer.- 10lb sledge.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53Right, next.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06I would've said that is not too bothered about life on the farm.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09I think that is just a flesh wound.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Now, watch this drive.
0:07:14 > 0:07:15One portable hard disk done for.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20OK, that is simple brute force
0:07:20 > 0:07:25but what about other things such as, water damage - fairly obvious.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30That's the memory stick drowned. How about a powerful magnet?
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Or even a quick blast of heat?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Your classic hard drive breakfast.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45And if the toaster wasn't enough, then this should surely do the trick?
0:07:45 > 0:07:48What about we reduce them to a molten mass?
0:07:53 > 0:07:55That's seven hard drives done.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00There is only one place where those photos now survive...
0:08:00 > 0:08:02that is our memories.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03Exactly.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Surely that has wiped off everything on those drives.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16- I have no idea. We gave those a proper battering. - You had far too much fun!
0:08:16 > 0:08:18The guys in data security reckon,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22I do not know how, they reckon they can get some of the information.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- Really!- Apparently.- We will find out later in the show if they do.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29We are on Tottenham Court Road, London's biggest electronics
0:08:29 > 0:08:33high street - the perfect place for you to buy a new hard drive.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38- Yes, it is.- But what about security on these things? Mobile phones.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40The issue is not just about when you throw them away, it is
0:08:40 > 0:08:44about people snooping on them while you are actually using them.
0:08:44 > 0:08:50It is a question we've been worrying about since the 1980s when the first cordless phones came on the market.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54Back then TV science uber-legend Maggie Philbin was on the case.
0:08:54 > 0:09:01..Despite this sophisticated system, it is possible to home in on one person's call.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03With that sort of pedigree, who better
0:09:03 > 0:09:04to look at smartphone security?
0:09:06 > 0:09:11'Mobile phones have changed enormously over the last 25 years.'
0:09:12 > 0:09:16It's really funny to think that this was a social trophy,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19particularly because the early models only delivered
0:09:19 > 0:09:2130 minutes talk time. And because they were analogue,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24with the right equipment it was quite easy
0:09:24 > 0:09:26to eavesdrop on people's conversations.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29But we all know about the recent phone hacking scandals.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Are today's multi-tasking smartphones
0:09:33 > 0:09:34any safer than those old bricks?
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Tom and Oliver are cyber security experts.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44They specialise in securing the phones of celebrities
0:09:44 > 0:09:47and they know that a smartphone's weak spot isn't so much voicemail
0:09:47 > 0:09:49as when it's surfing the net.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53While I'm out and about and using my mobile or iPad or whatever,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56how could I be putting myself at risk?
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Your phone will transmit data in two ways.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02One is over a 3G network and generally it's fairly secure.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Wi-Fi, on the other hand, is fairly susceptible to hackers.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07There's two primary ways they do this.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10One of them is setting up what we call a bait network.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13We're sat in a cafe here, they may set up a fake wi-fi network
0:10:13 > 0:10:16and call it the same as the cafe we're sat in.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19The other way is to monitor what phones in the area are looking for.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Phones are constantly looking for networks
0:10:22 > 0:10:24that they've previously connected to.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28So if you've got a wi-fi network called Maggie's Home, a hacker could see that
0:10:28 > 0:10:32and imitate that network to attract your phone to connect.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Using specialist equipment,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Tom can easily detect those Wi-Fi request signals.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40In just seconds, he's collected a huge list
0:10:40 > 0:10:43from every person's phone in this shopping centre.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46For privacy, we've blurred their details.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48So here you've got number 11.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Now that's obviously someone who lives at number 11.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55If you were to set up a fake network called number 11,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58then that means that phone would connect it.
0:10:58 > 0:10:59Yeah.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Once you've got control of that connection, then any data going
0:11:02 > 0:11:05from that phone through your network and out to the internet
0:11:05 > 0:11:08is up for grabs. So you can see that data
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and you can manipulate that data and perform attacks.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14What we're seeing is people harvesting login details
0:11:14 > 0:11:17for social media, for email accounts, and then using that information.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Often people use the same username and password for different accounts.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24So once you've got one, for something on a social media site,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28that could potentially result in some security risks.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31'I wanted to see how this could work in practice,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34'but it would be illegal to do it in public.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36'So Oliver and Tom have helped me
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'set up a sting on a group of friends, pretending we're doing
0:11:39 > 0:11:42'a medical experiment on the effects of social networking.'
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Right, well we've told them that we're going to run a test.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48And so we're taking their blood pressure
0:11:48 > 0:11:51before and after they've done a bit of social networking.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Of course, we're not in the least interested
0:11:55 > 0:11:58in what their blood pressure is. What we want to see
0:11:58 > 0:12:01is can we actually tap into the data
0:12:01 > 0:12:04that goes in and out of their mobile phones?
0:12:05 > 0:12:08We've given them access to a local Wi-Fi network.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10What they don't know is that it's one Tom
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and Oliver have set up with a bit of fishing in mind.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20CHATTERING
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Pretty soon, they've harvested cookies and login details
0:12:25 > 0:12:29from every phone in the room and it's time to set to work.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32But first, we're going to lock their phones away safely.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33Not to deprive them as they think,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36but so Tom and Oliver can get hacking.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39A few tweaks on Facebook and we're done.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43The first thing I'm going to do is to reunite you
0:12:43 > 0:12:46with your mobile phones.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48I've got something of a confession to make here,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52because we have just spent the last couple of hours trying
0:12:52 > 0:12:56to hack into your mobile phones. And we did very well.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Harry, we've seen all of your Instagram pictures.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Electra, we know what you've been up to. Just to show you, Charlie,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05could you just look at your Facebook profile?
0:13:05 > 0:13:08"Bang Goes The Theory is my new favourite show."
0:13:08 > 0:13:11And I have a profile picture change.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- Crazy!- Is that your normal picture? - No.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19- And that was relatively easy to do, wasn't it?- Yeah, it was.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21A real hacker would take that information away,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23spend a day analysing it
0:13:23 > 0:13:27and, even after months, they can still log in as you using the packets of data
0:13:27 > 0:13:29that they've captured during that time you were using
0:13:29 > 0:13:31that infected Wi-Fi network.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34How do they make sure that they do keep their personal data personal?
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Ultimately, connecting to a free Wi-Fi network leaves you at risk,
0:13:38 > 0:13:43because you don't really know who's on the other end of that network.
0:13:43 > 0:13:44And our final tip -
0:13:44 > 0:13:48make sure you use a different password for every website,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52just in case you do accidentally log on to a hacker's network.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55It might make you think twice next time you log on in a public place.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Absolutely. If you've got any worries or concerns,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02loads more cyber security information on our website.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06- Being careful obviously where and when you log on.- Obviously, yeah.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Speaking of our website, time to hop over
0:14:08 > 0:14:11to Dr Yan in cyberspace for another brain teaser.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15How is our data kept safe when we send it over the internet?
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Well, that's what this week's brain teaser is all about.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Imagine Alice here is using this train to exchange
0:14:21 > 0:14:24secret messages with Bob down the line.
0:14:24 > 0:14:29But like the internet, the train is full of prying eyes.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Like Evil Ed here.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35Alice and Bob have padlocks to protect their messages.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37But there's a problem.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Neither can send their key on the train in case Ed intercepts it.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45What can Alice and Bob do to make sure their messages stay safe?
0:14:45 > 0:14:48As ever, head to /bang for Dr Yan's answer.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51And while you're there, follow the links to watch the film Yan
0:14:51 > 0:14:56picked to win the British Science Association Prove It competition.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59And make sure you visit the Open University for loads more information
0:14:59 > 0:15:04about surviving online attacks and shopping safely on the internet.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Right, so far we've been talking about stopping
0:15:07 > 0:15:10your digital information from getting into the wrong hands.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13But here's another thought. How can we be sure
0:15:13 > 0:15:16that we'll always be able to get our own hands on our files and photos?
0:15:21 > 0:15:24All of this is stuff I've collected over the years.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Stuff I want to keep and hopefully pass onto my family
0:15:27 > 0:15:29because it says a lot about my life.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I mean, this vinyl album is of Depeche Mode,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35the first gig I ever went to.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38And this is a collection of photographs from my first sighting
0:15:38 > 0:15:41of a wild tiger, an event that completely changed my life.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44So I definitely don't want to lose this.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Now as much as it's really cool to keep these,
0:15:46 > 0:15:50we all know that vinyl records scratched and they broke and...
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Oh, my gosh. Do you remember these? I used to make so many mixtapes.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55But they used to unravel, do you remember?
0:15:55 > 0:15:59You had to spool them back in with a pencil for ages.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02So really, all this physical stuff is susceptible to wear and tear
0:16:02 > 0:16:04and, of course, you can lose it.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08So with the advent of new technology like hard drives and USB sticks,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10I thought I was sorted.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14I put all my tiger photos on this, my entire music collection is now on
0:16:14 > 0:16:17this hard drive, and my whole master's course
0:16:17 > 0:16:19is now on this tiny stick.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22But are digital collections like this
0:16:22 > 0:16:26any safer than the vinyl records and paper photos of the past?
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Whether you keep your files on discs and drives,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34on memory sticks or you upload them to the cloud for storage,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36will you still be able to read them years from now?
0:16:39 > 0:16:42'To find the answer, we need to go back in time, starting with
0:16:42 > 0:16:47'something almost all of us have stored precious photos and music on.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51'Since they came on the scene in the 80s - the CD.'
0:16:51 > 0:16:55The surface is covered by a layer of transparent plastic,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58so you don't have to worry about
0:16:58 > 0:17:01grubby fingers or even scratches.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Now whether there's a market for this remains to be seen.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'Of course, CDs and DVDs did take off.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13'But how well are they standing the test of time?'
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Now there's a lot of debate as to the lifespan of DVDs.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Manufacturers say they can last up to 200 years,
0:17:19 > 0:17:23but the US National Archive says they'll last anything from two
0:17:23 > 0:17:26to five years, which really makes you think twice about using them
0:17:26 > 0:17:29if you've got very important data to store.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31If, like me, you think you're covered
0:17:31 > 0:17:35because you're now using one of these, an external hard drive,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38practical experience says they'll last up to six years.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41The advice is maybe you should use another external hard drive to
0:17:41 > 0:17:44back that one up, and then maybe another one for safety.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48And it's not just decay we have to worry about. What about being
0:17:48 > 0:17:53able to retrieve your data from storage in the future?
0:17:53 > 0:17:58To find that out, I'm at the National Museum of Computing,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01and some of these machines date back to the 40s.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Of course at the time, all of these were state of the art,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07but back then, no one considered the trouble
0:18:07 > 0:18:11we might have trying to read their files in the future.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15This is a disc drive. It's one section of a disc drive.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- Now that's incredibly heavy.- Is it?
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- Oh, my lord! OK. - But in terms of technology...
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Do you have a drive for that in your house?
0:18:23 > 0:18:26In terms of technology, it's exactly the same as the little
0:18:26 > 0:18:28three and a half inch drive inside there.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31- Hoe much memory on this bad boy? - Oh, tiny.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34- It's about one hundredth of one of these.- Oh, my gosh.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37So at least, you know, as technology improved...
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Oh, good lord! I can't even lift it.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43The size of the storage device got smaller,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46- But the memory increased.- Oh, yeah.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50- And each generation has a smaller, more convenient format.- Yeah.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53And the capacity's gone up each time as our requirements
0:18:53 > 0:18:55and our uses of the medium has changed.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- That's the sort of sort I started using in the '80s.- Yeah.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01When those floppy disc drives were produced,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03nobody thought of storing digital pictures.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06It was a few recipes and perhaps your address book.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Now, of course, we've got USB pens.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11A USB pen like the one you're holding
0:19:11 > 0:19:13is equivalent to something like
0:19:13 > 0:19:16500,000 times the size of one of these discs.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19'But of course, size isn't everything.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'Since it was introduced in 1996,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26'the real benefit of the USB was to standardise hardware connections.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29'But what's the chance of this system going out of date?'
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Surely everything will always have a USB port.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Surely this is going to be a little bit more long-lasting
0:19:35 > 0:19:36than a floppy disc?
0:19:36 > 0:19:37No?
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Our experience with machines here at the museum,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41and even if we're just looking at...
0:19:41 > 0:19:44home computing in the last 20, 30 years,
0:19:44 > 0:19:49is that the technology changes radically at least every ten years.
0:19:49 > 0:19:54I wouldn't guarantee that would work on your laptop in ten years' time.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57It's a problem, because if you rely on just one of those
0:19:57 > 0:20:01for all of your data, you could be in for a nasty surprise.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Good grief.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03OK, so as an expert, Kevin,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06what would you do to store your most precious data?
0:20:06 > 0:20:10If you wanted to keep something for the next thousand years,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12that would be the most reliable...
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- You're kidding?! - ..on printed paper tape,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16punched paper tape like this.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17- You're kidding?!- No!- Seriously?
0:20:17 > 0:20:21No, this is acid-free paper, it's punched raw digital format.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26- Look at how lovely that is.- It won't suddenly not boot one morning.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27Where does this come from?
0:20:27 > 0:20:29This one is about 70 years old,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and this tape was used to store German messages in World War II
0:20:33 > 0:20:35to be replayed through the Colossus computer.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- This is Colossus. - This is the Colossus computer.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42So, I need one of these at home and some of this and I'm sorted?
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- Plenty of this. - Plenty of this!- Indeed.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Of course, these days there is another way to store your photos
0:20:56 > 0:21:00and your files that does away with discs and hard drives
0:21:00 > 0:21:03and the need to update your hardware every couple of years.
0:21:03 > 0:21:04It's called cloud computing
0:21:04 > 0:21:08and involves storing your data in remote servers.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12But is the cloud the answer to all our problems,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15and more to the point, where is it?
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Turns out it's in an industrial estate in Slough.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Well, a small part of it is, anyway.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Security is tight here.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27We're not even allowed to film the outside of the building
0:21:27 > 0:21:29in case it can be identified.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32It's highly likely that you're using the cloud already.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33Lots of people actually upload pictures
0:21:33 > 0:21:35to things like Flickr, YouTube,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37where, you know,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40there's about 48 hours of video that is uploaded every single minute.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Or your e-mail.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43Your e-mail is a cloud service
0:21:43 > 0:21:46where the information is stored in a data centre like this.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48You're probably using the cloud a lot today already.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50And can we even hazard a guess
0:21:50 > 0:21:53as to how much memory the entire cloud is storing?
0:21:53 > 0:21:55The cloud's a relatively new technology,
0:21:55 > 0:21:56only really invented a few years ago,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and the amount of data which we're storing in our cloud
0:21:59 > 0:22:00is doubling every six months.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04- Oh!- So, very, very difficult to actually add it up.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05I mean, if you look at the technology,
0:22:05 > 0:22:10it's gone from gigabytes to terabytes to petabytes to exabytes.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13In this data centre, we have three rooms like this.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Globally, we've got nine data centres bigger than this one.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20We host about eight billion files -
0:22:20 > 0:22:24pictures, videos, or documents - so a lot of info.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27OK. But essentially, all these rows are made up of hard drives too,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29so how can you ensure that these hard drives
0:22:29 > 0:22:32don't break down in the same way as my home one might?
0:22:32 > 0:22:35They CAN break, but the beauty of this technology
0:22:35 > 0:22:37is that already this data's replicated in three different areas,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39so none of your information will be lost.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41You know, this is a very important facility,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44cos we've got people like TfL, Transport for London,
0:22:44 > 0:22:45and the Oyster card,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- where all that information gets stored here as well.- OK.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50So, Fabio, is the cloud the future?
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Can I put my data in here and continue to do so until the day I die
0:22:53 > 0:22:56and not have to worry about keeping up with the technology
0:22:56 > 0:22:58or the fact that it might break down?
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Hard drives and memory sticks become obsolete.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02You need to keep changing them.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04That is no longer a problem with the cloud.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05It just continues to grow.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09But handing over your digital property
0:23:09 > 0:23:11to someone else for safekeeping
0:23:11 > 0:23:12raises important questions.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Who owns the files, for a start?
0:23:15 > 0:23:19And will you be able to pass them on to members of your family?
0:23:19 > 0:23:23These are issues the data storage world has only just begun to address.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27So, the cloud's pretty safe? What do you think?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29It's the safest thing, I guess,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33but good idea to back up your data on another hard drive as well.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Not just A hard drive - several hard drives.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37And print out your photos on good, old-fashioned paper.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- And leave one of the hard drives at your mum's house.- Really good idea.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44- There are people who have lost data and people who will lose data.- Deep!
0:23:44 > 0:23:46That's what they say.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49OK, earlier on in the show, Jem and I were having a smashing time
0:23:49 > 0:23:52trying to erase data from some hard drives.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55We took them to the data recovery boys. Let's see how they got on.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Right.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03That's nice. Wow!
0:24:03 > 0:24:06The contents of this cardboard box...
0:24:06 > 0:24:09- Dropped in tea. - ..are all that's left
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- after our enjoyably destructive afternoon.- Nice and toasted.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Doesn't look too bad.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Oh, that's nice.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Been playing golf with this one.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21These guys are data recovery masters
0:24:21 > 0:24:23and they can piece together damaged drives
0:24:23 > 0:24:28and read what's on them using their own specialist software.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30But I'm pretty confident
0:24:30 > 0:24:35we're going to end up with more write-offs than rescues.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40- We had an interesting and satisfying day in the workshop.- OK.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45- I think it's fair to day we got fairly medieval.- On this lot!
0:24:45 > 0:24:49I'm guessing to the untrained eye, you didn't get anything from that.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- No, no, no. - You told me you were the best!
0:24:53 > 0:24:54That's destroyed.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57There's nothing left of the media platters,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00so we can't recover any data.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02'I'll try not to look too smug!
0:25:02 > 0:25:04'Anyway, 1-0 to Bang.'
0:25:07 > 0:25:09So, this one, this is the one I had the most fun with.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11This is the golf shot.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14And I've got to say, it was a perfect, perfect strike.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18So, any joy?
0:25:18 > 0:25:19No.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24In the case of this laptop drive, the platter is made of glass.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Oh, look at that!
0:25:26 > 0:25:28What you managed to do is shatter the platters.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31If a disc is shattered, you're not getting the data back.
0:25:33 > 0:25:352-0! It's looking good.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37But I wonder how he got on
0:25:37 > 0:25:40with the drive Jem zapped with his mega-magnet.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42That magnet WAS powerful enough
0:25:42 > 0:25:44to get through the case of the hard drive
0:25:44 > 0:25:49and wipe it sufficiently for the hard drive to stop working.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52OK, 3-0 to me and Jem.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54- Yes!- 3-0!
0:25:54 > 0:25:59OK, so these two, which are similar ones that went in the toaster.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02How did you get on?
0:26:02 > 0:26:03Are these toast?
0:26:03 > 0:26:04No.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06- Ahh!- OK!
0:26:06 > 0:26:08So, hang on. You got a...
0:26:08 > 0:26:10- God!- Do you recognise these photos?
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Sadly, I recognise those photos.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17- OK, so there you go. You've clawed one back.- OK.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20How about the old tractor?
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Again, we managed to get all the data back from that.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30Oh, 3-2, and I thought Jem and I had this in the bag.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32I'm sad about that!
0:26:32 > 0:26:35'More awkward pictures of me are revealed
0:26:35 > 0:26:38'and Rob is clawing his way back.'
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Now, this one I can tell you, was Jem's favourite.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44You didn't get anything off the sledgehammer one, did you?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46- Yes, all of it.- You're kidding?!
0:26:51 > 0:26:54And the consequences of Jem's failure are there to see.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Actually, the one I'm really interested in is this one.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01I mean, this is a solid-state drive
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and anybody who's got a smartphone has one of these in their lives.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08- This is actually from a USB-type memory stick.- Mm-hm.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10How did we get on with this?
0:27:10 > 0:27:11We got on OK.
0:27:11 > 0:27:17We managed to dry it out and got all the pictures off it again.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20So, there you go - Rob has won,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24and the last of my embarrassing pics are displayed for all to see.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30So, smashing up your computer isn't guaranteed to wipe your hard drive.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33And what's more, it's a waste of resources.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35If you want to recycle your computer,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38the best option is to use scrambling software.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39It's free on the internet,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42but you have to watch out for fake versions
0:27:42 > 0:27:44that can actually steal your data.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Check our website for recommended downloads.
0:27:47 > 0:27:53- So, there's the socially responsible way of doing it.- Mm-hm.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Or there's the Bang way.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Which, I have to say, was very satisfying.
0:27:58 > 0:27:59Yes, it would be!
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- Happy Christmas, Liz! - Seriously!- This is for you.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06- I hope you're proud of yourself! - It's kind of nice.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- It's like an art installation. - It's kind of pretty.- "Jem was here".
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Probably a better idea to use the right kind of software
0:28:11 > 0:28:14to get rid of the data on your computer, so then you can recycle it,
0:28:14 > 0:28:16someone else can use the computer.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18You're right. This is more fun.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Another thing - be careful when you chuck out your old mobile phone
0:28:21 > 0:28:24because obviously there's loads of personal information,
0:28:24 > 0:28:25personal data on them.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Exactly. So, make sure you give them to a reputable organisation.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- This is it for this show, but we will see you soon.- Look forward to it.
0:28:31 > 0:28:32- Bye-bye.- Bye.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Next time, Johnny Ball will be using maths to work out
0:28:36 > 0:28:38how many cabs are in London.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Whether we'll get this right, I can't be sure.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd