The digital camera revolution and accompanying shift from darkroom to desk have made photo editing easier and far more accessible. Professionals and casual shutterbugs alike rely on it to push images from good to stunning.

Yet, your choice of editing tools and file-handling practices can turn photo editing from an essential and rewarding part of photography to its weakest cybersecurity link.

Want to know what dangers come with photo editing and how to get around them? Then continue reading! 

What Cybersecurity Risks Does Photo Editing Entail? 

Mishandling your files or the editing process can impact everything from the privacy of your subjects to the security of your devices and accounts.

Most industry-standard photo editing tools have adopted a subscription-based model. They partly justify the shift by offering cloud storage and features accessible only online. That means you’re entrusting your files — which may contain sensitive details an attacker who gains unauthorized access to them could exploit — to an external entity whose security practices you have no control over.

Some photographers are increasingly disgruntled with established providers' recent practices and are looking to switch. Several online alternatives offer the same fundamental features, but using them may come with risks. For example, they may claim to delete the base photo yet keep it, potentially explicit or private details and all.

There’s also the matter of safeguarding metadata. Editing a photograph doesn’t usually remove the metadata on the date and time it was taken, GPS coordinates, camera settings, etc. While these are useful for referencing, restoration to original settings, and file organization, someone who steals such an image and is aware of metadata could use it to gain valuable information on you or the subject.

Hobbyists unsure of their commitment to photography often download pirated versions of paid editing software to get their feet wet. These may infect your devices with malware that can cause slowdowns, extract sensitive data, or even lock you out unless you pay a ransom. 

While these affect regular people more than professional photographers, editing apps are another concern. They're usually free or cheap and offer fun features for on-the-go photo glow-ups. However, such apps can introduce a host of problems. These range from asking for permissions a photo editing app has no business needing to infecting your device with malware and ads, to selling your data and photo content online. The introduction of AI has only made things worse. 

File Protection Practices You Should Adapt 

A mitigation strategy exists for the most common threats to photo-related file security. Vigilance and developing healthy cybersecurity habits are the right approaches.

Avoiding sketchy programs and illegal downloads is straightforward yet can be quite impactful. It’s better to use a free yet trusted alternative than risk infection. Some tools offer discounts for students or long-term commitments, which you can use as well.

 Reputable photo editing software offers encrypted cloud storage with ample safeguards. However, the associated account can still be compromised on your end. Secure it with a long and unique password and add two-factor authentication so you can still recover the account from credential theft. It's best and most convenient to do so with password generators, especially since they let you implement the same safeguards for all your accounts, reducing credential theft chances and data breach likelihood.

Think twice about uploading sensitive or explicit images to unproven online editors. Be sure to remove metadata and as many other identifiers as is feasible. 

Finally, verify you're using a secure network when uploading images or sharing them with clients. Avoid going through public Wi-Fi since third parties can easily monitor it and intercept any data you exchange. Use your much more secure mobile network or enable an eSIM plan if you're doing a shoot abroad to maintain security when transferring files. If you want to select a reputable eSIM but don’t know where to start, take a look at esimgeek’s comparisons.

Conclusion

Tight deadlines, demanding clients, and lengthy editing may cause you to neglect or disregard securing your files. Now that you know the risks and their effective safeguards, treating your files more responsibly should neither be a problem nor a hassle.

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