I’ve already covered SignalTrace, or signal tracking which is much worse than Flock ALPR cameras and their ilk, but this article is a good overview with a couple interesting tidbits on how Bluetooth 6 and WiFi 7 can locate exactly where devices are within a coverage area. And remember that it can track vehicles through tire pressure sensors, cellular and WiFi if equipped… It’s tedious, but I put my phone in Airplane mode when entering business with my phone in my pocket or traveling unless I’m using Bluetooth for music, podcasts, or audiobooks. And I always keep location off unless using it for navigation on a road trip to someplace I don’t know, and I also keep precise location off altogether as the GPS receiver alone is good enough and you don’t need to feed all the WiFi and Bluetooth scanning to Google. I’ve also picked up a supported phone and started using LineageOS to limit my Google exposure… There is a slight possibility here in Wyoming we’ll have some privacy rights to limit the surveillance state.
By Zach Laidlaw
And yes, they’re handing your data over to law enforcement.
Bluetooth seems harmless enough. It connects your phone to your car stereo to play music or pairs your fitness tracker with your phone to relay data. But did you know Bluetooth hides a hidden danger that could expose your location? Even worse, private companies and law enforcement can use this exploit to monitor your activity without giving notice or obtaining a warrant.
Your phone tattles on you in public (even if you don’t know it)
By its own admission, a marketing technology company called Leonardo US Cyber and Security Solutions revealed that it can use Bluetooth and WiFi to “identify people of interest by the signals emitted from their electronic devices they travel with” through a service called SignalTrace.
Its immense power can easily be abused to follow practically anyone.
All electronic devices emit signals that exchange data and information. Cellular data connects to local cellphone towers in the area. WiFi connects to the nearest router in a building. Bluetooth talks to other devices within the vicinity, just in case it needs to send or receive a message, a photo, or a song.
These technologies are especially precise these days. For instance, Bluetooth 6.0, the latest version of this protocol, features proximity-level location tracking that can pinpoint the position of a target device down to 10cm. At the same time, WiFi 7 includes indoor device positioning that can help identify the placement of a device inside buildings. Together, they offer powerful location-tracking capabilities that reveal where a device exists in real time.
From a marketing perspective, this kind of technology is used in combination with Bluetooth Low Energy beacons for proximity marketing campaigns. BLE beacons are tiny devices that can be placed on store shelves beside certain products. When you walk beside the product, the beacon notices your phone and sends a notification or discount code for that item directly to your device via Bluetooth. It’s a clever marketing tool, and while it’s a bit creepy, it’s virtually harmless.
However, groups like Leonardo US Cyber and Security Solutions can also gather this data and hand it over to law enforcement to create digital profiles of people of interest. Targets can include anyone from suspected criminals to the average citizen who’s simply trying to mind his or her own business.
Which devices are trackable with SignalTrace?
If you’re wondering which electronic devices are most likely to reveal your location, the sad truth is that it’s most of them.
Virtually any gadget with a WiFi and/or Bluetooth connection can be tracked. Here’s just a quick list of the types of devices that may reveal your public whereabouts:
- Smartphones (including iPhones and Android devices)
- Smartwatches (Apple Watch, Pixel Watch, Galaxy Watch, etc.)
- Fitness trackers (Fitbit, Garmin, Whoop, etc.)
- Smart rings (Oura Ring, Galaxy Ring, etc.)
- Wireless earbuds/headphones (AirPods, Galaxy Buds, etc.)
- Smart wallets (some models include location tracking technology to help users find a lost wallet)
- Tracking tags (AirTag, Galaxy SmartTag, Tile, etc.)
- Other devices (laptops, tablets, e-readers, etc.)
Is SignalTrace legal?
The question on everyone’s minds is whether or not this type of tracking is legal. The answer, unfortunately, is yes.
Private companies and law enforcement are able to skirt legal hurdles and warrants due to the fact that Bluetooth and WiFi signals coming off of electronic devices are all publicly visible. SignalTrace is merely capturing this information and drawing correlations between the data. For instance, it can see when a device is in motion, where it’s located, if a group of devices regularly travel together (like in a convoy), and it can even monitor devices inside buildings and other locations. All of this data is openly available and fair game for collection.
For what it’s worth, Leonardo US Cyber and Security Solutions claims to respect users’ privacy rights by not decrypting any information it receives from targeted devices, not that that will matter all that much if law enforcement simply wants to pin your location to the scene of a crime.
How to protect yourself from signal spies
With SignalTrace in place, effectively every gadget you own can be a tracking device. Leonardo US Cyber and Security Solutions only intends to work with law enforcement to target and track criminals, but its immense power can easily be abused to follow practically anyone.
The only way to thwart tracking attempts through WiFi and Bluetooth is to nullify your devices’ electronic signals. This means you would need to put your devices into Airplane mode with all connection features turned off, lock them in a Faraday cage that manually blocks electronic fields, or simply leave your devices at home when out in public.
Otherwise, you can assume that your phone, watch, ring, or any other gadget on your body is broadcasting your location to anyone who wants to see it at all times.