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Forum Discussion
Photographs that are NOT mine in Dropbox - and NOT as a result of using a shared computer!
Hello,
I have discovered a folder in my Dropbox entitled 'Camera Uploads' which is full of hundreds of photos and videos that are not mine. The files are dated from August 2012-November 2013 (which by coincidence is likely to be around about the same time that I set up my Dropbox account). I have not had reason to look in the folder before as I thought it was simply a default folder that Dropbox created on signup.
At first I thought perhaps the folder had been shared with me accidentally but it turns out it is not a shared folder and Dropbox is telling me that the files were uploaded 'by you' (i.e. me!).
Having searched the Dropbox community threads and Google I found someone who had a similar issue and one of the possible reasons given in the thread was that perhaps the user had used a shared computer in the past and left themselves signed into Dropbox and then someone else's phone photos were auto-backed up when they connected. I do not believe this to be the case for me. The reason being is that I looked through all the photos and videos to try to decipher if I knew the owner. I did not. However, one of the photos displayed a gig ticket stub which displayed the surname of the person who bought it - and lo and behold it happens to match my surname. This all seems to point to a scenario where someone with the same name as me was somehow able to sign in to my account and use it to back up their files. Can anyone (at Dropbox or otherwise) explain how this could possibly have happened?
This is surely a security issue. The reason I was poking around in the folders is because I was preparing to start using Dropbox for my business needs but this issue has alarmed me and I now have strong doubts about the security of Dropbox, especially for sharing/storing confidential business files.
BTW I have now changed my password and I was tempted to delete the folder but I feel kind of bad that I now have someone's personal photos (pics and videos of their kids in the school play etc.). I have tried to get in touch with someone at Dropbox but I currently have the basic free account and my options are limited to a chatbot or this forum (another turnoff - I hate when companies make it impossible to contact them!).
Hoping you can help!
Thanks,
Nat
57 Replies
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- Mark
Super User II
Hi Natmonster
They can only be in your account IF a device is connected to your account which has your credentials on it - either via a shared computer OR somebody putting a USB/phone etc. on your computer at some point (and the software just copies them off).
One thing that mayhelp to work things out is go to the Camera Uploads folder, click on one of the files three dots to the right and choose 'restore previous versions'. It MAY tell you what device it came from which could help you work things out.
Thanks for your input but it does not explain how photographs belonging to someone with the *same name as me* (and someone I definitely do not know) managed to back-up their photos to my account.
Firstly, I have never had reason to sign into Dropbox outside my home and there are only one or two people at home who would have had access to my own PC over the years. It's simply too much of a coincidence to believe that someone with the *same name as me* who ALSO had access to *my PC/a shared computer I have used* and the result was that their files were inadvertently backed up. I just don't buy it.- Mark
The only way is that the person has got access to your username and password, but, thats highly unlikely.
Also, if the photos are from that long ago its almost impossible to remember who may have used one of your devices for a few seconds.
Check what devices are on your account at www.dropbox.com/account.
Hi Mark,
Yes of course. I accept that my memory is fallible and I can't be 100% sure that no one ever used my computer all those years ago. However, I am 100% certain that someone who shares the same name as me has never, ever used my computer. That, I would certainly remember. And so the question remains, how can it be explained that I have photographs in my Dropbox that belong to someone (who I certainly don't know) who has the same name as me? That cannot be mere coincidence.
"The only way is that the person has got access to your username and password, but, thats highly unlikely".
Not only would they have to have access to my account, they would have to have access to my account AND also have the same name as me. That's even more unlikely, and for me, not believable as a pure fluke 'coincidence'. This aspect of the incident is still unexplained.I believe it must have something to do with my login. I signed up for Dropbox using my Gmail address. When I first registered my Gmail account, back in the early days of the internet, I was early enough to be able to choose my [firstname][last name]@gmail.com . As a result, I regularly receive all manner of emails intended for other people who share the same name as me (and presumably a similar email address) including variations where there is a dot between words or it ends with @googlemail.com etc. My suspicion is that somehow, somewhere along the way, a bug in Dropbox's system has enabled a crossover with someone with the same name. I am open to other explanations and would be interested to hear them but they would need to account for the shared name aspect too.
(I have checked all linked devices on Dropbox and there is currently only one linked device, my phone).- Natmonster! Did you get some resolution on this? I checked My Dropbox today for the first time in many many many years. I logged on due to many emails from dropbox about my space running out soon. The camera upload album was packed with photos from someone else. By the nature of the photos it was someone living far away from me and no relations at all. I found a photo of a car with a licence plate. I checked it in the car register. Lo and behold the car was owned by a person with the same first and last name as me, living in another part of the country.
Hi Laquenta,
Thanks for your posting. It's so interesting that you've experienced the same problem. It's clearly not a one-off failure on Dropbox's part. The disappointing news is that no, I have not resolved this and what's worse is it's apparent that no one at Dropbox is interested in investigating what amounts to, in my view, a breach of privacy.
I know that the photos and videos in my Dropbox are not mine (nor were they taken on my camera - there's hundreds of images/vids taken over a period of time), and I know that the person they belong to has the same surname as me but that's as far as I've gotten.I have come to the conclusion that Dropbox is simply not secure and I would strongly advise against trusting it with private files/files of any value.
I encourage anyone who may be reading this thread and experiencing the same problem to post about it here. The more information we can gather, the better. I don't know what it will take to get Dropbox to investigate. I am in the UK so GDPR laws apply and now that I have heard from someone else with the same problem, I will likely report this to the ICO.Natalie
- Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi Natmonster, do you have any unknown logins on your account on this page?
According to the version history on one of the images, what does it say exactly about the upload location when you hover over it? - Natmonster,
I share the same conclusion as you. The reason must be a mistake on Dropbox's behalf. Luckily for the other guy all photos was standard family photos. It could have been something really private. I reached out to the other guy just to inform him and to give him a chance to check if he have stored the photos somewhere else before i delete them. Im planning not to make a big deal out of this, dont have the energy. And the support from Dropbox on a free account seems nonexisting. However, im intrested if you learn anything about this so please keep the thread updated. Just want to point out to anyone who is reading that this is not a result of shared computer or me logging on to someone elses device. The difference in location and the exact same first and last name proves it. I'll probably talk more to the other guy in coming week so i might get some more clues to share.
Best regards
//Laquenta - Hi Jay,
Thanks for your reply. Currently, I don't have any unknown logins. I did review security/linked devices etc. back when I originally posted about this problem in May and I don't recall finding anything suspicious.
In answer to your second question, nothing happens when I hover over any of the images (I tried on both my phone and PC). I did go into the Version History but it does not display the upload location for me. Perhaps it's because I have the free version of Dropbox?
Interestingly, when I looked at the Info tab on my own files it states 'Uploaded by [my name]'. However, on the files that are not mine, it says 'Uploaded by Dropbox Server'.
Any theories on what has happened are v welcome!
Thanks,
Natalie - WalterHey Natmonster, sorry to jump in here, but would you like me to send you an email to have a further look into this matter internally?
