China Unveils Method to Track Users Through AirDrop
The Beijing government has announced that a Chinese state organization has developed a way to identify users who send messages using Apple’s AirDrop feature. This new method is part of broader efforts to combat unwanted content.
Since AirDrop does not require an internet connection, malicious content cannot be tracked using standard network monitoring methods, which has become a significant challenge for public security authorities. The Beijing institute developed a technique to hack the encrypted iPhone log in order to identify the phone numbers and email addresses of senders sharing content via AirDrop.
Experts discovered that fields related to the sender’s device name, email address, and mobile phone number were recorded as hash values, with some hash fields hidden. To crack these fields, the technical team created a detailed table of mobile phone numbers and email accounts, allowing them to decode the encrypted text and quickly identify the sender’s mobile number and email account.
Creation of an AirDrop User Database
The Beijing Judicial Bureau claims that, using this new method, police have identified several suspects, though it is unclear if anyone has been arrested. The technique increases the efficiency and accuracy of investigations and helps prevent the spread of inappropriate remarks and potential harmful influence. An Apple spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
The method, described in the article as a “technological breakthrough,” could supplement measures aimed at eliminating information that China deems undesirable. This new approach also adds uncertainty to Apple’s operations in China, where the company already faces significant content restrictions, including on Apple TV and iBooks. Additionally, in September 2023, employees of China’s central government agencies were banned from using iPhones and other foreign devices at work and from bringing them into the office.
Apple limited AirDrop functionality on Chinese iPhones in 2022 after protesters used the feature to spread anti-government images among other device owners.