The network traffic analysis can help the attacker determine which packets are the delivered status notifications.
Once you have this calibration data, you can then find out which location they are in, simply by sending them a message. It requires you to message a contact when they are in a known location (for example, when you know they are at home or at work, or another location they visit regularly) and note the timings for each. The attack is limited in its application, so can only really be used against specific targets about whom you have knowledge. The timing, of course, needs to be very precise, but this is easily achieved by checking the logs of a packet capture application like Wireshark. The timing will indicate the distance traveled by the message. In other words, I send you a message and then time how long it takes until I see the indicator that you have received (not read) the message. The trick lies in measuring the time taken for the attacker to receive the message delivery status notification on a message sent to the target.īecause mobile internet networks and IM app server infrastructure have specific physical characteristics that result in standard signal pathways, these notifications have predictable delays based on the user’s position.
While the method sounds imprecise, tests showed that it provided greater than 80% reliability …Ī team of researchers has found that it’s possible to infer the locations of users of popular instant messenger apps with an accuracy that surpasses 80% by launching a specially crafted timing attack.
Security researchers have found a surprising method for exposing location data in otherwise secure messaging apps WhatsApp, Signal, and Threema.
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