Ordinary WiFi can now identify you with near-perfect accuracy
Ordinary WiFi networks could quietly become powerful surveillance tools, allowing people to be identified without cameras, special sensors, or even carrying a connected device. Researchers showed that unencrypted signals routinely exchanged between WiFi devices and routers can be used to create radio-based images of people and recognize them within seconds. In tests involving 197 participants,…
WiFi signals could potentially be used to identify individuals and map their surroundings without cameras or personal devices, according to researchers at KIT's Institute of Information Security and Dependability. This method, which uses radio waves instead of light, works similarly to a camera but with radio waves, and it doesn't require the person to have a WiFi-enabled gadget.
Even if someone turns off their device, the system could still function if other devices in the area are active. The researchers warn this creates a significant privacy risk, as WiFi networks are ubiquitous in homes, offices, and public spaces. This technology turns every router into a potential surveillance tool. Even though simpler methods exist for monitoring people, WiFi-based monitoring is unique because it's invisible and doesn't raise suspicion.
The identification process, using machine learning, is almost instantaneous and accurate, with a 99% success rate. The researchers emphasize the need for privacy safeguards in future WiFi standards, especially in the context of potential misuse in authoritarian regimes.
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