Live data from Hacker News

Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

datatracker.ietf.org

1–10 of 16 posts

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#2
As this is an IETF doc, it's available in multiple formats. For those reading on a phone, the 'htmlized' format is probably easiest:

https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-detecting-unwant... (This is NOT a suggestion to replace the story link, as from there you can get to the docs GitHub, mailing list etc)

Others can be selected at the top of the main link. This seems to be the second rev of a draft.

(Having now read it)

One interesting point is that non owners get to disable locators if they are moving with them. Which makes sense to allow people to disable hostile trackers, but it also means a thief can disable it. May be the right call, but it does mean a ready market for noncompliant devices will exist unless this is put into law

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#4

Alternatively, there's a ready market for bags that are also Faraday cages.

Couldnt a moving faraday cage act as a tracking beacon?

Subject of interest to specifically pop up on cams.

I was thinking the faraday bag could show up as a black negative spot on the back of an otherwise moving human assuming one were using the WiFi signal vision trick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkHdF8tuKeU

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#5
post #4

Alternatively, there's a ready market for bags that are also Faraday cages.

Couldnt a moving faraday cage act as a tracking beacon? Subject of interest to specifically pop up on cams. I was thinking the faraday bag could show up as a black negative spot on the back of an otherwise moving human assuming one were using the WiFi signal vision trick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkHdF8tuKeU

How would you detect and track somebody with a faraday bag?

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#6
post #2

As this is an IETF doc, it's available in multiple formats. For those reading on a phone, the 'htmlized' format is probably easiest: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-detecting-unwant... (This is NOT a suggestion to replace the story link, as from there you can get to the docs GitHub, mailing list etc) Others can be selected at the top of the main link. This seems to be the second rev of a draft. (Having no…

This seems dead on arrival to me. The feature provides no benefit to end users, but severely reduces the legitimate functionality of the product. (For instance, this makes the products useless for preventing luggage theft.)

At the same time, even if 99.9% of trackers have this built in, it still won’t prevent malicious use cases.

Anyway, I’m hoping it will be dead on arrival, but I fear that corrupt law enforcement organizations will try to get this mandated, since it will let them continue to steal luggage, and avoid dealing with people that would like their stolen items to be recovered.

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#7
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Couldnt a moving faraday cage act as a tracking beacon? Subject of interest to specifically pop up on cams. I was thinking the faraday bag could show up as a black negative spot on the back of an otherwise moving human assuming one were using the WiFi signal vision trick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkHdF8tuKeU

How would you detect and track somebody with a faraday bag?

I think they’re assuming always-on fully body scanners like the TSA uses. Real time nude video feeds of the whole planet are the only thing protecting us from terrorism and stuff.

Before they implement it, they’ll probably need an excuse other than “Think of the children” though.

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#8

Alternatively, there's a ready market for bags that are also Faraday cages.

That doesn’t help if you don’t know you have a location tracking device on you or in your car. This specification is about detecting unknown trackers.

I’ve only read parts of it, but it seems like it’s trying to formalize the behavior that AirTags and iPhones already follow so that all phones (Android) can alert you proactively when an unwanted tracker is traveling with you.

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#9
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How would you detect and track somebody with a faraday bag?

I think they’re assuming always-on fully body scanners like the TSA uses. Real time nude video feeds of the whole planet are the only thing protecting us from terrorism and stuff. Before they implement it, they’ll probably need an excuse other than “Think of the children” though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkHdF8tuKeU

Have you seen Aza Raskin talking about it?

Re: Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers

#10
post #6
post #2

As this is an IETF doc, it's available in multiple formats. For those reading on a phone, the 'htmlized' format is probably easiest: https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/draft-detecting-unwant... (This is NOT a suggestion to replace the story link, as from there you can get to the docs GitHub, mailing list etc) Others can be selected at the top of the main link. This seems to be the second rev of a draft. (Having no…

This seems dead on arrival to me. The feature provides no benefit to end users, but severely reduces the legitimate functionality of the product. (For instance, this makes the products useless for preventing luggage theft.) At the same time, even if 99.9% of trackers have this built in, it still won’t prevent malicious use cases. Anyway, I’m hoping it will be dead on arrival, but I fear that corrupt law enforcement o…

Depends who you call an end user. These devices can't do anything on their own, they piggyback on the network of nearby phone users. If one is tracking you, it's likely using your phone, even if the actual owner is a stalker who's trying to figure out when you are in a secluded spot. Arguably, phone owners should get some kind of say in how this works.
Post reply on HN