I love a good hack as much as the next guy!
No, no! Not breaking into someone's computer. That kind of "hack" is nasty!!
The kind of hack I mean is where you make an object (or computer program) do something other than it's intended purpose. You know, like using spoons as a musical instrument!
Now... That's a hack!!
Well, I just heard about a potentially nasty hack using Apple AirPods.
You know, those new-fangled Bluetooth earbuds from Apple. (Thanks to InTELA member Jenn Zanoria for letting me know about this! To learn more about InTELA, see my post here).
The hack involves using the Apple AirPod's "Live Listen" feature. This feature was originally designed as an accessibility feature and allows the iPhone/iPad to used kind of like a hearing aid. Turn "Live Listen" on and the microphone of the iPhone/iPad will pick up any sound and transmit it to the AirPods at an elevated volume. Kind of cool - yes?
Now for the hack.
Take your iPhone/iPad and leave it in a room and exit. Now you can hear anything that is being said in that room. This turns this feature from an accessibility function to a covert eavesdropping feature!
I can only begin to imagine how this can be used by creative students in the classroom. In our school, the student charging station is in the principal's office. I shudder at the thought of what confidential information could be overheard!!
What do you think? Am I being alarmist? Paranoid?
I would love to hear your comments on the blog page.
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