According to a report by Bloomberg, a Chinese organization, purportedly supported by the government, claims to have successfully breached the security of Apple’s AirDrop. This breakthrough allegedly enables authorities to identify individuals using AirDrop to share content deemed inappropriate or illegal. Despite Apple’s assurance of AirDrop’s security through encryption, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice asserts that they have discovered a method to circumvent it by examining logs from iPhones, dubbing it a “technological breakthrough.”
The Bureau of Justice contends that this approach enhances the speed and accuracy of case-solving while curbing the spread of inappropriate content. The report does not clarify whether any government agency had exploited this security flaw prior to its disclosure. It notes a prior issue with AirDrop in April 2021 when German researchers identified a problem, which Apple reportedly did not address despite being notified in May 2019.
Apple modified how AirDrop operates in China in November 2022 due to instances of users sharing political messages against the government. The default setting was changed to limit AirDrop to contacts only, with a 10-minute option to allow broader usage. These changes were later expanded globally with the release of iOS 16.2, with Apple stating the goal was to reduce unwanted content sharing in crowded places.
The revelation about AirDrop’s alleged compromise in China raises concerns about the efficacy of Apple’s assurances regarding the safety of this wireless transfer method. It underscores the ongoing challenges in maintaining the security of digital systems and how authorities adapt to address potential threats in the online realm.
TechDzone 