AirTags – Security threat in a tiny package

Brookes Nader, a 26-year-old Sports Illustrated model, was walking home from a wonderful night out in New York when she received a rather disturbing notification on her iPhone prompting her that she was carrying an “unknown accessory” and that “This item has been moving with you for a while – the owner can see its location”. Nader discovered that someone had discreetly put an Apple AirTag in her coat pocket earlier in the evening. Without her knowledge, the small almost coin-sized device had tracked her location for hours before Apple’s abuse prevention system triggered the notification to her phone.At 3:00 pm on December 27th, a 32-year-old mother of four, Ashley Estrada, was at her friend’s home in Los Angeles when she received a notification on her phone telling her that an unknown device had been following her movements. Surprised, she went to the ‘Find My’ app on her iPhone and saw her entire route. Ashley says, “It showed me my who route. It said, ‘the last time the owner saw your location was 15:02’ and I was like ‘that is now, I’m at home”. She rang the police who told her they didn’t know what to do. Ashley has yet to find the device, which she believes is somewhere in her car. She says: “I watch my surroundings closely now.”Much like any technology, AirTags are susceptible to misuse. Several cases have been reported around the world where people found these devices on their property, either in their coat pockets, handbags or even discreetly hidden in their cars. Mark from 22DIV Toronto Police says that thieves are using AirTags to mark vehicles. The device is magnetic so it can be hidden behind license plates or even in a fuel-tank lid. Thieves use the location data to follow your car to your home and when you are sound asleep, they steal your car.How do AirTags work?Apple’s AirTagnbsp;is a 1.26-inch disc that assists people to keep a track of their items like keys, wallets, backpacks, etc. It can also help an owner find their car parked in a busy parking lot. Being small and magnetic, AirTags can be placed in the most discrete places, like the coin slot in a wallet, a coat pocket, or the exhaust pipe of a vehicle. The replaceable battery can provide accurate location updates from across the globe to the owner for up to a year and does not require an internet connection to do so. The tiny plastic and steel button houses a small speaker, antennae, a Bluetooth chip, Apples custom-made U1 chip and a replaceable battery. It does not use GPS to report location data, instead, AirTags connect with any nearby Apple products (the host) using Bluetooth and piggyback the host’s GPS and signal to report location data to the owner. You can learn more about its functionsnbsp;herenbsp;How to protect yourselfFor AppleiPhone users:If you get a notification saying: there is an AirTag near you or An unknown accessory is sharing your location; use your phones location service to pinpoint the AirTag, and immediately call 999. Give the police your exact location and where you found the AirTag (your purse, coat pocket, car, etc).For Android users:Installnbsp;Tracker Detect, an android app developed by Apple that serves the same purpose. If an AirTag is near you (up to 30 feet) for approximately 20 minutes, the app will notify you about its presence. If an AirTag is found near you, and you did not place it there, immediately call 999. Give the police your exact location and where you found the AirTag (your purse, coat pocket, car, etc).nbsp;You could disable the AirTag yourself by twisting it and removing the battery. However, it is best not to touch the AirTag since the police can collect fingerprints from the device and take action against the owner. Besides, chances are that the owner of the AirTag is already aware of your exact location. It is best to inform the police and have them investigate your surroundings.nbsp;Sources:Apple AirTags - A perfect tool for stalking - BBC News‘I was just really scared’: Apple AirTags lead to stalking complaints | Technology | The GuardianHow Apple AirTags are being used by criminals - YouTube