Smart home
Apple’s Find My Network Could Be Exploited to Broadcast Text Messages
Security researcher Fabian Bräunlein has found a loophole that allows exploitation of the Find My network protocol to send normal text messages to nearby devices. The researcher was able to transmit text messages by replicating the way an AirTag communicates over the crowdsourced network and sends its GPS coordinates as an encrypted message.
Bräunlein took reference from a recent study conducted by Germany’s Technical University (TU) of Darmstadt that was aimed to help developers build accessories for the Find My network. After understanding the protocol powering the network, the researcher developed a custom device with a microcontroller running a proprietary firmware to transmit the message. He also built a custom Mac app to decode and display the message from the device.
The proof-of-concept created by Bräunlein essentially replaces the location data that the Find My network normally broadcasts with text strings.
It is unclear at this moment whether the model developed by the researcher could be used to circulate malicious content over the Find My network. However, the extensive research conducted by Bräunlein shows that the protocol used by Apple could be moulded to broadcast not location data but content such as text messages.
Earlier this week, a German security researcher reported that the Apple AirTag could be hacked to replace the default Find My link with a custom link for NFC readers. This manipulation was similar in nature to what has now been found on the Find My network.
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Apple Smart Doorbell
In the latest edition of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman detailed Apple’s smart home efforts. The iPhone maker is reported to be working on a smart home doorbell system that will have advanced facial recognition, which wirelessly connects to a deadbolt lock.
Apple already offers several third-party smart home locks on its online store but this is said to be its first-ever proprietary offering. It is speculated to work on the same HomeKit protocol and may support other third-party locks. With this move, the company may surface as a competitor in a space dominated by the likes of Amazon’s Ring and Google Nest.
The product is expected to use Apple’s first-ever proprietary wireless networking chipset dubbed Proxima to protect consumer data. The smart home doorbell system is not expected to hit the market at least until the end of next year. However, there may be a possibility that Apple develops the technology but sells it through a third-party brand. If that is the case, Logitech or Belkin are to be the likely partners, as per Gurman.
Other Smart Home Products
The newsletter also details other endeavours by the iPhone maker in the smart home space. It is said to be developing a smart hub powered by artificial intelligence (AI) which would feature a 6-inch screen, FaceTime support, and a new operating system. Apple is also reported to be roll out upgrades for Apple TV and HomePod mini devices next year — both having the new wireless networking chip.
The company could also delve into the home security space with a purported in-home security camera that would work in tandem with its purported smart hub. Its development is already reported to be underway and may offer competition to the likes of Amazon, Blink, Google, and Logitech.
JioTag Go Price in India, Availability
JioTag Go price is set in India at Rs. 1,499. It is available for purchase in the country via Amazon, JioMart e-store, as well as Reliance Digital and My Jio stores. The tracker is offered in black, orange, white, and yellow colour options.
JioTag Go Features
The JioTag Go is a Bluetooth tracker which is compatible with Google’s Find My Device feature. The tracker connects with the Find My Device application on Android smartphones, which users can access through the Play Store. People can use this to track their belongings worldwide, the company said.
It can be attached to keys, purses, luggage, gadgets, bikes, and more and then be used to locate the items if lost. When within Bluetooth range, users can tap the ‘Play Sound’ option on the Find My Device app, and the concerned JioTag Go will make a beeping noise, which should easily help locate the lost item.
Outside the Bluetooth range, the last location of the tracker can be detected by Google’s Find My Device network. On the app, users can follow the map that appears with the ‘Get Directions’ option, to this location. Once in range, the JioTag Go will automatically connect to the user’s phone and they can use the ‘Play Sound’ feature to find the tracker.
The latest tracker from Reliance Jio is compatible with smartphones running Android 9 and above. It does not connect to iPhones. Notably, the JioTag Air is compatible with iPhone models running iOS 14 or later, as well as Android smartphones on Android 9 and later.
JioTag Go does not require a SIM card to function. It supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and is backed by a CR2032 battery, one of which is said to last up to a year. The Amazon listing reveals that the tracker measures 38.2 x 38.2 x 7.2mm in size and weighs 9g.
Apple AirTag 2 New Ultrawide-Band Chip
The anticipated AirTag 2 will carry a new ultrawide-band chip instead of the one used in the current version of the tracker, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in his Power On newsletter Sunday. This new chip is said to be “on par with the one introduced in the iPhone 15.”
Gurman claimed that the new ultrawide-band chip is expected to increase the Precision Finding range considerably in the second generation of AirTag. This is said to make it easier to track and find items. Currently, depending on certain conditions an item with an attached AirTag can be located from 10 to 30 meters away. With the rumoured new UB chip, that range is expected to triple, Gurman said.
Apple AirTag 2 Launch Timeline
Previous reports have suggested that Apple could launch the AirTag 2 around the “middle of next year,” that is roughly June-July 2025. The purported smart tracker is said to carry the codename B589. It is expected to sport a similar design as the existing variant but get upgraded privacy features.
Since the launch of the first generation AirTag, it has been misused for stalking. Apple is expected to make privacy-focussed changes for the AirTag 2 “to make the new model more tamper-proof.” The company will reportedly launch a new smart home display alongside the second-generation AirTag.
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