Researchers at George Mason University have discovered a way to track just about any Bluetooth device using Apple’s Find My network. The hack, dubbed nRootTag, can be used by hackers to make any Bluetooth device into “unwitting homing beacons.”
The researchers figured out a way around how an Apple AirTag changes its Bluetooth address using a cryptographic key, which protects the AirTag from being hacked. The researchers developed key search methods to create a compatible Bluetooth address that the key adapts to, bypassing the secure key.
Updated March 1: According to Apple, the discovery by George Mason University demonstrates how an Android, Windows, or Linux device can be hacked, and then Find My can be used for tracking. This is not a vulnerability in Apple’s AirTag, Find My, or other Apple products. An update to Find My was issued on December 11, 2024 to protect against misuse and acknowledged George Mason University in the release notes.
The researchers claim 90 percent success with their nRootTag hack, which can be performed remotely without administrator access to a device. It also doesn’t matter what platform the device is on; devices running Android, Windows, and Linux have been hacked, as well as smart TVs and VR headsets.
The hack, however, requires intense processing power to create a compatible nRootTag quickly. The researchers used “hundreds of graphics processing units (GPUs)” by using GPU rental services, which are usually used by AI developers and Bitcoin miners. To help cut down on processing, hackers can save the list of failed nRootTags for reference.
The hack was reported to Apple in June 2024 and a fixed was released on December 11, 2024. Apple officially acknowledged the vulnerability, according to George Mason University’s report.
How to protect yourself
Because of the immense amount of processing power to execute the nRootTag hack successfully, it’s unlikely that a user will see this attack in the wild. Users can take precautions by being aware of Bluetooth notifications by apps asking for unwarranted and unexpected permission to connect. Users can check what Bluetooth devices are connected to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac in the Bluetooth System Settings.
Apple releases security patches through OS updates, so installing them as soon as possible is important. It’s also important to update the apps on your Mac, which you can do through the App Store or an app’s settings. Macworld has several guides to help, including a guide on whether or not you need antivirus software, a list of Mac viruses, malware, and trojans, and a comparison of Mac security software.
