Nike+iPod Sport Kit Reportedly Vulnerable to Surveillance

[Flowbee]

I think the only thing that my Nike+ kit would reveal to any snoopers is how rubbish I am at running...

Well, exactly. Most runners don't wear their running shoes everywhere they go... just out running.

I understand the point that the researchers are trying to make, but unfortunately the media are focusing on the "danger" of the iPod.

 

[uaaerospace]

Might I ask why anyone, regardless of intent, would want to track someone on google maps if the person is only 60 feet away? lol....no news here..move along.

 

[Philoman]

These sort of security discussions and informations provided are all good for Apple. Now Apple can decide if these problems are possible issues or not and take preventive measures before things get out of hand.

It's beneficial for Apple to get these kinds of reports conducted by out side agencies such as the University of Washington doctoral student.

 

[profoundmedia]

I saw this on ABC news earlier tonight. They blew it way out of proportion.

 

[tvguru]

I haven't read the thread (famous last words), but I wanted to let people know that I just saw a teaser for the news tonight and they are going to be running a segment on it in Australia tonight.

 

[SPUY767]

If people want a truly stunning example of FUD, this is it. Being able to track someone remotely, when they are less than 20 metres away is only usefull as a way to scare people into buying your iPod / Nike Beacon Jamming Kit for only $19.95.

 

[miniConvert]

I agree with the report in that some cryptographic techniques should have been used to negate the possibility of this. It may be short range and 'almost' useless, but having a live RFID tag in one's shoe that'll respond to just anyone is a bit of a blunder. I think RFID is a great technology, it just needs to be used carefully.

As for the mobile phone arguments - yes a network can triangulate the approximate location of one of its subscribers, but any old Tom, Dick or Harry doesn't have access to this information!

 

[Adurbe]

no mum, I am a poor starving student!!
What new trainers?
O.. Theeeeeeese?!
They're not mine... they're for... ummm.. my doctorate!! 'Research'!! Honest!!

 

[aLoC]

I don't get it, with such a short range transmitter you would have to follow them to receive it. But you can follow them anyway.

How are the transmissions coming off it to their radio different to light reflecting off you to their eye?

 

[FDX]

I think the more important thing is, can they listen to my tunes and will they have to pay a royalty to universal if it is on their record label?

 

[Eraserhead]

I think the more important thing is, can they listen to my tunes and will they have to pay a royalty to universal if it is on their record label?

I'd have thought so, universal probably want royalties when you think about one of their artists.

Back to the topic, if you have to be within 20m, you can see them unless they do round a corner into a building or something, then this Nike+ range would be massively reduced, Apple didn't add security as it's pointless.

EDIT: How do you play those CNN videos on a Mac?

 

[spicyapple]

A pair of binoculars can pretty much accomplish the same thing, no? I'm more worried someone will survey my spandexed behind with their cameras than what my Nike+iPod is giving off.

luv ya bunches! xoxoxo

 

[Eraserhead]

A pair of binoculars can pretty much accomplish the same thing, no?

I'd be surprised if you even needed binoculars at 60ft, I could probably track them without glasses at that distance (which I wear all the time).

 

[kresh]

I must live wrong or something. All these people are worried about being tracked? Are they all spies, or gang members, or something?

hehe, The government, or whomever, can track me all they want. It would be a most boring exercise for them.

 

[Ha ze]

Are they serious? I can track someone from as far as 600 feet away, just using my eyes.

It would be impossible to spy one someone if you had to remain within 60 feet of them at all times...

Agreed. If the person need to be within 60 feet of the wearer, they already know where the wearer/runner is

 

[EMKoper]

It is scary how stalkerish technology has become... The other night I typed my address into Google Earth and it pulled up a satellite image of my house... google was only 2 houses off.... that is really ****ed up

Huh? Given an address any printed-map of any detail can take someone directly to that address and that is just 'paper and printing-press' technology. Scary how those maps can enable you to find a location!

 

[MacSA]

LOL the press are scrambling for any negative iPod related story these days.

 

[racebit]

So I am able to track any person, regardless of whether or not the nike + sensor is on them, if I am within 60 feet. I mean c'mon. If I had to stay within 60 of em the whole time, it would just be easier to drop the laptop and reciever I'm carrying around and just walkand use my eyes.

What a load of FUD

 

[hana]

Yeah... I tried to post about this last night in the ipod forum, but now I can't find it....

CNN made it sound like it could be done with all ipods....
(way to scare Mom & Dad & Auntie Non-Tech from buying ipods for the holidays, "I saw that CNN headline about how you can be tracked by anyone if you use an ipod, so I bought you this nice new Zune instead made by that company that makes Windows."

Interesting this is coming from the University of Washington.....

 

[mambodancer]

Much ado about nothing

Funny.
I'm sure you could setup GSM repeaters and reprogram them to watch a person's cell phone as they walk around.

I really don't see the problem. Making a mountain out of a mole hill.

So what if you can slip it in someone's backpack.

I can buy radio direction finders and transmitters online and do the same.
Or I can buy GPS trackers, and also stick it on someone's car.
Those solutions are easier, more accurate, etc......and not terribly expensive.

I mean, they still need several Nike receivers in the perfect locations vs using regular direction finding or GPS tracking.....

My thoughts exactly...

They had to put transmitters in locations they knew people with the Nike receivers would be running.

They had to know that a person with a Nike receiver would be running by.

They had to know when and where the person would be.

They had to know who the person was.

All this before hand!

The Nike receivers do not broadcast your identity so if you dropped it and a squirrel picked it up they wouldn't even know that.

If the person wandered off track they couldn't locate them.

I just looked at the demo on video and laughed. What a contrived bit of crap. If you wanted a real challenge you would set up a test where you wouldn't know when, where, or who had the receiver before hand and then decide how worthwhile this kind of "tracking" method was. Besides, couldn't you do the same kind of thing with a wifi finder and any laptop with a wifi card? Sheesh! Leave it to the intellectually challenged media to try to sensationalize anything.

 

[Eraserhead]

CNN made it sound like it could be done with all ipods....

CNN are Mac users too, so it's slightly suprising (they use iChat for video conferencing AFAIK) and the web browser CNN use in weather/tech ad's is Safari (or was last summer when i last watched CNN.).

 

[lorductape]

well 60 feet isnt that far

 

[technocoy]

i think we need to flood CNN with emails.

this is a crap piece of reporting and they know it. they should be ashamed that they have stooped to this.

 

[Tensai]

Not really CNN's falt, the story was filed by their Seattle affiliate KING.

Seattle, University of Washington, flaw in a Nike product being portrayed as an iPod flaw... I sense a pattern...

I think a study needs to be done looking into how to track people using their Zunes.

 

[Seasought]

The wearer may not realize that the sensor is normally on (it can be switched off), and that another person or monitoring system could track their location from as far as 60 feet away.

I don't recall the university name, but there was a map system that would allow students to voluntarily list themselves, live at all times, as to where they were on the campus map. I realize this is totally unrelated, but I think it would be interesting to see a similar technology merge in with Google Earth, or some other blog community that is grouped by state or friends list.

I also realize that many find the idea of being tracked 24/7 frightening, but I'm certain there are those that love the idea of being able to see where friends are in real time in say, another country. It's very Big Brother (1984), but used in the private sector I think it might be pretty cool.