Telegram publishes users' locations online

Post by algesten » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 3:54 AM UTC

kibwen wrote: post #20

gruez wrote: post #6

>[Line] fixed it by adding a random number to the user's destination This is a imperfect solution. There's two possibilities: the offset (aka "random number") is dynamic, or it's fixed. If it's the former all you have to do is sample enough times to get through the noise. If it's the latter, it's not vulnerable to the previous attack, but if you have a known point of reference (so you can deduce what the offset is),…

> If it's the latter, it's not vulnerable to the previous attack, but if you have a known point of reference (so you can deduce what the offset is) It sounds like this approach could be prevented by having a random fixed offset for each user, so that you have no point of reference unless you already know where that specific user is. [Removed bit about regenerating this offset infrequently.] EDIT: You could even do th…

Post by rlpb » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 3:55 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #6

>[Line] fixed it by adding a random number to the user's destination This is a imperfect solution. There's two possibilities: the offset (aka "random number") is dynamic, or it's fixed. If it's the former all you have to do is sample enough times to get through the noise. If it's the latter, it's not vulnerable to the previous attack, but if you have a known point of reference (so you can deduce what the offset is),…

Post by dawnerd » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 3:56 AM UTC

mercora wrote: post #18

so i know some people around me who are using telegram and very likely most of them did not change anything about their privacy settings as usual. However, i do not see any of them in the list and it even shows me users some 10km away. When viewing this list on the top it has a button to make yourself visible so i assume if you don't do it voluntarily its not broadcasted at all which appears to be a non issue then, l…

Post by dawnerd » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 3:57 AM UTC

vengefulduck wrote: post #19

whomst wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have Telegram on iOS and I can't find any People Nearby feature. It doesn't request the location permission according to Settings either.

It took me a while to find it on iOS, it’s under the contacts tab called “find people near by”. It doesn’t seem to work without location enabled so hopefully that would keep you safe.

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 05, 2021, 3:58 AM UTC

kibwen wrote: post #20

gruez wrote: post #6

>[Line] fixed it by adding a random number to the user's destination This is a imperfect solution. There's two possibilities: the offset (aka "random number") is dynamic, or it's fixed. If it's the former all you have to do is sample enough times to get through the noise. If it's the latter, it's not vulnerable to the previous attack, but if you have a known point of reference (so you can deduce what the offset is),…

> If it's the latter, it's not vulnerable to the previous attack, but if you have a known point of reference (so you can deduce what the offset is) It sounds like this approach could be prevented by having a random fixed offset for each user, so that you have no point of reference unless you already know where that specific user is. [Removed bit about regenerating this offset infrequently.] EDIT: You could even do th…