Never Use Pixelation to Hide Sensitive Text (2014)
4 months ago
- #privacy
- #image-processing
- #security
- Pixelation or blurring sensitive text (like credit card numbers) is insecure because it can be reverse-engineered.
- Attackers can generate all possible number combinations, apply the same blur, and compare to the original to find a match.
- The process involves creating a 'dictionary' of blurred images and matching brightness vectors to uncover hidden information.
- Blurring reduces information but doesn't eliminate it, making it vulnerable to brute-force or dictionary-style attacks.
- A better solution is to completely cover sensitive information with solid colors instead of blurring.