The country's authorities are forcing users to think twice before sharing files.
The Beijing government said a Chinese state-run organization has developed a way to identify users who send messages through Apple AirDrop feature. The presented method is part of a broader effort to combat unwanted content.
Since AirDrop does not require an Internet connection, malicious content cannot be tracked using conventional network monitoring methods, which has become a serious problem for public security agencies.
A Peking institute has developed a method to crack the encrypted iPhone log to identify the numbers and emails of senders who share content via AirDrop. Experts found that the fields associated with the sender's device name, email address, and mobile phone number were recorded as hash values, and some hash value fields were hidden. To crack this field, the technical team created a detailed table of mobile phone numbers and email accounts that can decode the encrypted text and quickly block the sender's mobile phone number and email account.
Created User Table
The Beijing Judicial Bureau says police have used the new method to identify several suspects, but it doesn't specify whether anyone has been arrested. This technique improves the efficiency and accuracy of case resolution, as well as prevents the spread of inappropriate comments and potential harmful influence. An Apple spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
The method, described in the article as a "technological breakthrough," can complement measures aimed at destroying information that China considers undesirable. The new method also increases uncertainty about Apple's operations in China, where the company is already facing severe restrictions on content, including on Apple TV and iBooks. In addition, in September 2023, employees of China's central government agencies were banned from using iPhones and other foreign devices in the workplace and bringing them to the office.
The company has restricted AirDrop on Chinese iPhones from 2022, after protesters used the feature to distribute anti-government images to other device owners.
The Beijing government said a Chinese state-run organization has developed a way to identify users who send messages through Apple AirDrop feature. The presented method is part of a broader effort to combat unwanted content.
Since AirDrop does not require an Internet connection, malicious content cannot be tracked using conventional network monitoring methods, which has become a serious problem for public security agencies.
A Peking institute has developed a method to crack the encrypted iPhone log to identify the numbers and emails of senders who share content via AirDrop. Experts found that the fields associated with the sender's device name, email address, and mobile phone number were recorded as hash values, and some hash value fields were hidden. To crack this field, the technical team created a detailed table of mobile phone numbers and email accounts that can decode the encrypted text and quickly block the sender's mobile phone number and email account.
Created User Table
The Beijing Judicial Bureau says police have used the new method to identify several suspects, but it doesn't specify whether anyone has been arrested. This technique improves the efficiency and accuracy of case resolution, as well as prevents the spread of inappropriate comments and potential harmful influence. An Apple spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
The method, described in the article as a "technological breakthrough," can complement measures aimed at destroying information that China considers undesirable. The new method also increases uncertainty about Apple's operations in China, where the company is already facing severe restrictions on content, including on Apple TV and iBooks. In addition, in September 2023, employees of China's central government agencies were banned from using iPhones and other foreign devices in the workplace and bringing them to the office.
The company has restricted AirDrop on Chinese iPhones from 2022, after protesters used the feature to distribute anti-government images to other device owners.
