4 ms·

Faraday bags are not effective against all frequencies. Specifically the 5G frequencies are known to be very difficult to block with a cage ( but do have relati

Faraday bags are not effective against all frequencies. Specifically the 5G frequencies are known to be very difficult to block with a cage ( but do have relatively short ranges)

bagels 3y ago
It also is ineffective at blocking audio which can be shipped out as soon as it comes out of the bag.
- logifail 3y ago
  > It also is ineffective at blocking audio If you turn your phone off and immediately put it in a Faraday bag, how would it receive a remote command to turn on and start recording audio?
  - xnzakg 3y ago
    That's implying that it is actually off and not just pretending to be off, and that it requires a command to start recording instead of just constantly recording and only uploading when commanded to
    - logifail 3y ago
      If we're assuming a well-funded and motivated attacker, surely any device is fair game for being modified to record you even when it's apparently off? Of course this applies whether it appears to have a removable "battery" or not.
      - rtkwe 3y ago
        Far enough down the threat model rabbit hole the real solution is just ditch the phone if you're doing anything mildly antigovernment. That at least forces them to do a bit more work to spy on you. That's always one of the big issues in opsec/security discussions, we can always imagine a more motivated or well funded attacker but the likelihood of those being deployed against you change with the difficulty of implementing those methods.
someplaceguy 3y ago
Would putting it inside a microwave work? I think I recall Snowden did that but I'm not entirely sure I remember correctly. Edit: on the other hand, I'm now considering the possibility that the phone might be recording your audio even without network access and then transmit it later when you take it outside the microwave. So you'd have to be physically far away from the microwave for the microphone not to hear you, which means the microwave and faraday cages don't add anything useful.
- rtkwe 3y ago
  Running or not? /s The former is a definite yes but expensive while the latter is probably also fine for many situations.
- sidewndr46 3y ago
  As long as you turn the microwave on, yes that will be effective.

Faraday bags are not effective against all frequencies. Specifically the 5G frequencies are known to be very difficult to block with a cage ( but do have relatively short ranges)

bagels 3y ago

It also is ineffective at blocking audio which can be shipped out as soon as it comes out of the bag.

logifail 3y ago
> It also is ineffective at blocking audio If you turn your phone off and immediately put it in a Faraday bag, how would it receive a remote command to turn on and start recording audio?
- xnzakg 3y ago
  That's implying that it is actually off and not just pretending to be off, and that it requires a command to start recording instead of just constantly recording and only uploading when commanded to
  - logifail 3y ago
    If we're assuming a well-funded and motivated attacker, surely any device is fair game for being modified to record you even when it's apparently off? Of course this applies whether it appears to have a removable "battery" or not.
    - rtkwe 3y ago
      Far enough down the threat model rabbit hole the real solution is just ditch the phone if you're doing anything mildly antigovernment. That at least forces them to do a bit more work to spy on you. That's always one of the big issues in opsec/security discussions, we can always imagine a more motivated or well funded attacker but the likelihood of those being deployed against you change with the difficulty of implementing those methods.

someplaceguy 3y ago

Would putting it inside a microwave work? I think I recall Snowden did that but I'm not entirely sure I remember correctly. Edit: on the other hand, I'm now considering the possibility that the phone might be recording your audio even without network access and then transmit it later when you take it outside the microwave. So you'd have to be physically far away from the microwave for the microphone not to hear you, which means the microwave and faraday cages don't add anything useful.

rtkwe 3y ago
Running or not? /s The former is a definite yes but expensive while the latter is probably also fine for many situations.
sidewndr46 3y ago
As long as you turn the microwave on, yes that will be effective.