Subj : This Find My exploit lets hackers track any Bluetooth device  her
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Fri Feb 28 2025 12:00:08

This Find My exploit lets hackers track any Bluetooth device  heres how you 
can stay safe

Date:
Fri, 28 Feb 2025 11:50:13 +0000

Description:
Apples Find My network can now be tricked to let hackers stalk any Bluetooth 
item.

FULL STORY
======================================================================A new 
exploit can track any Bluetooth device using Apples Find My network The 
attack can be done remotely in just a few minutes Apple has been notified, 
but its unknown when a fix will come 

Apples Find My app is a handy way to keep track of your important items, 
whether thats one of the best iPhones or an AirTag attached to a set of keys, 
and while there have been concerns surrounding the privacy implications of 
devices like Apples AirTag, the Find My concept itself has remained 
relatively impervious to attack  until now. 

Thats because researchers from George Mason University in Virginia say theyve 
discovered a serious flaw in the Find My network that could allow hackers to 
track almost any Bluetooth-enabled devices location without its owner 
knowing. 

On the face of it, its a deviously clever exploit. Dubbed nRootTag, it 
manipulates Find Mys cryptographic keys to trick the network into believing 
that a regular Bluetooth device is actually a trackable AirTag. That means 
that any Bluetooth device could feasibly be located by a person with access 
to the exploit. 

The researchers found that their method had a 90% success rate. Whats more, 
it only took them a few minutes to locate a targeted device. Its a scary 
combination when those kinds of capabilities are in the wrong hands. Remote 
access The Apple AirTag (Image credit: Apple) 

People have worried about the nefarious tracking potential of AirTags and the 
Find My network before, but in past cases, a stalker has had to physically 
place an AirTag close to their victim. In the case of the George Mason 
University exploit, thats not necessary because it can be triggered remotely. 
For instance, the university team was able to track a games console that had 
been placed on an airplane throughout its entire journey, all from many miles 
away. 

The only small comfort is that this method requires a lot of power behind it, 
as the researchers had to deploy hundreds of powerful GPUs in order to 
swiftly find cryptographic keys to exploit. Still, they noted that it would 
be possible to do using rented GPU banks, which do not necessarily require 
significant funds. 

The researchers say they notified Apple about the vulnerability in July 2024. 
While Apple has acknowledged the issue, we dont yet know if or how it will be 
fixed  and it could take years to end the threat if people dont update their 
devices right away. 

If you want to stay safe, the best advice for now is to regularly update your 
devices and be cautious about granting apps access to Bluetooth. If you dont 
know why an app needs Bluetooth, do further research before simply opening 
the door. You might also like How to use Find My iPhone It's official: 
Apple's Find My network now lets you track twice as many devices New leak 
hints at Apple AirTag 2 release window  heres what to expect



======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/phones/phone-accessories/this-find-my-exploit-lets-h
ackers-track-any-bluetooth-device-heres-how-you-can-stay-safe


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