Adversaries can potentially build a mesh network of audio beacons to collect sensitive data of all the devices in proximity. If that doesn’t scare you enough ultrasonic transmissions happen instantly and without any authentication or encryption, your sensitive data is blasted into the air for several meters and can be collected by other devices. Ultrasonic tracking has proven to be so effective it can even de-anonymize TOR users, audio beacons can bypass tor by sending true location information and the original IP address of a TOR user straight to the adversaries or advertisers. you won’t be able to stop it even if you disable location services or take your phone completely offline, enable airplane mode, remove your sim card, and cut off all network access, the transmission of data via ultrasonic means is going to work outside of all radio signals. The ultrasonic Cross-Device tracking method is usually completely permissionless and secret. you won’t receive any notifications and oftentimes, you’ll never know what apps on your phone or websites you visit have ultrasonic beacons or receivers in them. Why Ultrasonic Cross-Device tracking is Unavoidable that may not sound like much but it is enough to transfer data in densely populated urban areas even from air gap machines, that is even if you keep all of your devices completely off the grid your data can travel on high-frequency sounds and hop between devices until it reaches one that is connected to the internet. the limit of this technology, at least what is publicly known is no less than 65 feet. High-frequency sounds are not going to travel a fast distance. It is just enough to transfer identifiers from your phone and nearby beacons to communicate your proximity, location, and fingerprinting information such as what browser or device type do you use. The bandwidth of high-frequency transmission is about 10 to 20 bits per second, that aren’t a lot of data that can be transmitted. The only constraint of ultrasonic tracking is bitrate and distance. It works both ways using ultrasound audio beacons can always detect when your phone is nearby and likewise apps on your phone can listen for potential audio beacons to track what you do and see. Ultrasonic audio beacons can be embedded in any form of media such as tv programs, websites, online videos, apps on your phones, or even digital billboards and banners. It works with all devices equipped with regular microphones, speakers, or even gyroscope sensors. It’s a method of linking multiple devices of a user to track their behavior and location. what just happened here is called Ultrasonic Cross-Device Tracking.Īdvertising Join Coursera today! How Ultrasonic Cross-Device tracking technology works In this case, it would generate an identifier with information about you watching a particular tv program at a given time your phone will save this information and make it available for apps on your phone to read and transfer to advertisers. your tv will emit ultrasounds that you won’t be able to hear but your phone and dog will. Let’s say you’re watching your favorite tv program and as a regular viewer you have your phone with you or somewhere close in that room, in the old days that will be the end of the story but in this day and age your tv is an audio beacon and your phone is a receiver.īeacons are emitting high-frequency sounds and receivers are listening to those signals during advertisement breaks. All participating in the most undercover and unavoidable method of tracking your location and behavior. Not just your phone but also your laptop, tablet, smartwatch, tv, or IoT-enabled home appliances. Ultrasonic cross-device tracking technology takes place major assist to get back that information to them.Įverywhere you go and whatever you might be doing as long as you have an electronic device with a microphone, speakers, or gyroscope that device might be listening. But they still want this information without our permission. While most of us who care about privacy do not allow even block them to track. Advance organizations or individuals like hackers and especially advertisers need very little information about you.
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