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High school student allegedly uses device to turn off nearby iPhones
- dharmab 3y agoWild guess: A handheld EMP generator. You can make them out of a battery and an ignition coil.
- pySSK 3y agoNope. That would turn off nearby Android devices and laptops as well.
- yellow_lead 3y agoIt's probably a flipper zero. There is a Bluetooth iOS spamming script which can cause the devices to freeze or crash.
- mentos 3y agoha when i was in school we used 'punters' to kick people off AOL
- CableNinja 3y agos/CON/CON
- skygazer 3y agoThis looked to me like a useless sed substitution. But, apparently, typing "{S /con/con" in an AOL chat blue-screened Windows participants that had their AOL sounds turned on. http://mazur-archives.s3.amazonaws.com/aol-files/breaches/con2k.htm http://mazur-archives.s3.amazonaws.com/aol-files/breaches/co... [AOL-Files.com] (2000)
- cryptoz 3y agoI remember turning off hallway TVs in school with a visor handspring and an IR app.
- NegativeLatency 3y agoI had an android tablet with an IR blaster in it (the Sony tablet s) and had endless fun putting Macs with the remote receiver to sleep. Hold down the play button like on an iPod and people’s laptops would just go to sleep while they were using them.
- adzm 3y agoAt one point you could just send a ton of <<<<<<< which caused some internal parser to slow down horribly and eventually crash
- notcensored02 3y ago[dead]
- nirvgorilla 3y ago[dead]
- AndrewKemendo 3y agoLink to the script? I have a F0 and would like to try it
- CharlesW 3y agoIt’s probably this one: https://www.zdnet.com/article/flipper-zero-can-lock-up-an-iphone-running-the-latest-ios-17/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/flipper-zero-can-lock-up-an-ip... This attack was mitigated in 17.2: https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/15/24003406/apple-iphone-flipper-zero-fix-ios-17-2 https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/15/24003406/apple-iphone-fl...
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- yellow_lead 3y agohttps://github.com/Flipper-XFW/Xtreme-Firmware/blob/1a9c9cc32ff358f05a63b38348ba58fa225a3e9a/applications/external/ble_spam/ble_spam.c https://github.com/Flipper-XFW/Xtreme-Firmware/blob/1a9c9cc3...
- ryukoposting 3y agoWow, what a funky little device! Thanks for the lead, I might have to pick up one of these things. It looks good for hacking but is it hackable itself? An exposed JTAG port would have this thing shipping to my home right now.
- andrewxdiamond 3y agoThe firmware is open source, and third party software already exists Ex: https://github.com/Flipper-XFW/Xtreme-Firmware https://github.com/Flipper-XFW/Xtreme-Firmware
- gipp 3y agoPicked one up for Christmas and have already been having a blast with it today. Yes, it is supremely hackable, try awesome-flipperzero [1] as a starting point. The iOS exploit discussed here is already patched as of a week or two ago, fwiw. [1] https://github.com/djsime1/awesome-flipperzero https://github.com/djsime1/awesome-flipperzero
- javawizard 3y agoOk this is the silliest nitpick but like... The personality/emotionality of the flipper zero has been the biggest thing stopping me from using mine more. Like, I classify myself as an empath, and it's physically painful to think about using it and having to face the dolphin's sad face if it's been a while. Looks like I need to hack mine to not get sad when I don't use it. Digital antidepressants, as it were...
- threatofrain 3y agoSupposedly the most recent updates stop that.
- arch-choot 3y agoIt's also possible via something way cheaper, like an ESP32 (~US$1.5), e.g. using https://github.com/ckcr4lyf/EvilAppleJuice-ESP32 https://github.com/ckcr4lyf/EvilAppleJuice-ESP32 (Disclaimer: I am the author)
- wkat4242 3y agoMakes sense because the flipper zero basically is an esp32 with a display and a few other radios. I wonder if it could also be done with a simple android app.
- tech234a 3y agoReminds me of the Effective Power bug [1] from 2015 though that didn't require special hardware. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpringBoard#%22effective_power%22_bug https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpringBoard#%22effective_power...
- lacrimacida 3y agoMaybe it was a blessing in disguise, all those highschoolers would be much better off without a smartphone while in school (barring emergencies) and perhaps outside of school too.
- AndrewKemendo 3y agoIf that kid (and their parents consent) is on HN I’d like to buy them a soda and see about hiring them as an intern. we’re both in the DC area and I have a few interesting robotics projects for aspiring hackers
- aaron695 3y agoI'll just be a Flipper Zero with a new Firmware - https://github.com/Flipper-XFW/Xtreme-Firmware https://github.com/Flipper-XFW/Xtreme-Firmware Maybe something else but this is the easiest/most obvious. I don't really understand why this is mainstream news. It's happened before, because it's harmless and funny - https://www.kktv.com/2023/11/30/device-brought-tennessee-high-school-shuts-off-cell-phones-other-electronics/ https://www.kktv.com/2023/11/30/device-brought-tennessee-hig... In a world where the loser Doomers think China/Aliens can cripple us with a cyberattack this is exactly what is needed more to make people harden their phones, aka run updates.
- ryukoposting 3y ago"nearby" + plaform specificity? This screams Bluetooth. Side note: iOS's BT stack has a handful of oddly specific requirements for peripherals. It wouldn't surprise me that those requirements precipitate from... cough design oversights.
- pennomi 3y agoThis was around a decade ago, but I remember having a use case where sending too much data to the Bluetooth stack on iPhone would crash the Bluetooth stack so hard that only a factory reset would fix it. I have no doubt that lingering vulnerabilities exist in that stack.
- teppic 3y agoOh no my phone turned off. Someone call the police.
- teaearlgraycold 3y agoDo this in the wrong school district and they'll put you in prison. Absolutely ridiculous.
- squarefoot 3y agoWell, given the recent trend in school shootings, someone would have panicked thinking that a student going postal would first attempt to turn off devices around to stop other people from calling for help.
- Twirrim 3y agoDo this around people with type 1 diabetes, and there's a chance you're wiping out their glucose monitor (a sizeable number of the continuous glucose monitor systems rely on a cellphone app, smartphones are becoming ubiquitous hardware/software.) It might be a funny stunt, but there could be some serious consequences.
- 127361 3y agoThis is ridiculous. Critical safety functions should not be dependent on a unreliable medium that can be easily disrupted. There must always be a fallback mechanism.
- Freak_NL 3y agoPeople who use such a feature would surely have a backup strategy in case their phone dies, the battery dies, is stolen, is lost, or is unavailable for any number of reasons (fucked up OTA update? hacked? some dumb app crashing their device?), right? If they don't and just rely on that single consumer-grade device working all the time, I feel sorry for them. This glucose monitor excuse gets trotted out for these topics every time, but someone wielding a Flipper is probably the least of your concerns if device and connectivity reliability is so critical.
- rdtsc 3y agoI liked the first comment there: > "According to an APS statement, 'by turning off those teenagers' phones, the student created a dangerous environment in which students might actually have been able to learn something instead of staring at their phones all day. We're just not equipped to handle that kind of thing, so we called the police instead.'"
- hakdbha 3y agoThose darn kids and their phones! Keep it down! I’m tryna watch some tv here!
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- ace2358 3y agoA few states in Australia have outright banned phones in schools. I have a few teacher friends. I’ve heard the students still aren’t interested in learning… (Jokes aside I think it’s going great for the kids and the teachers in aus)
- EMIRELADERO 3y agoDoes the ban extend to recesses/entire school grounds? I was very introverted throught my childhood and spent my first school years' recesses not talking to anyone, just mindlessly wandering the hallways and yard. It got to a point where I didn't even know many of my classmate's names, even after spending years "with them". When I grew old enough to have my own phone that I could bring to school, it made recesses more bearable. It didn't sabotage or disincentivize any social interactions, because before that moment I had almost none with peers. Looking back on it, I didn't "lose out" on socialization because of phone use, as I simply didn't have any beforehand.
- jojobas 3y agoSchool grounds at all times. Being alone with your thoughts is still better than scrolling all day.
- belltaco 3y agoProbably someone tired of the blue and green bubble BS on iPhones.
- bitwize 3y agoAh yes, classic case of someone being arrested for the crime of doing something the police think only they should be allowed to do.
- SoftTalker 3y ago"Victims" really.
- daemonologist 3y agoReminds me of the classic iPhone MEMS oscillator helium issue [0]. Not sure a backpack-portable tank would contain enough helium to cause problems though, even in an enclosed classroom; the bluetooth possibilities are probably more plausible. [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18340693 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18340693
- omeze 3y agoThis reminds me of a time back in high school when a friend bought a cell jammer on ebay and we walked around school just waiting for people to start texting before turning it on and losing our heads at their confusion. Stupid to do, but bored high schoolers do stupid things…
- wolpoli 3y agoThe article isn't very specific, but I would speculate that the iPhone for someone somewhat high up in the school was affected.
- exabrial 3y agoWow Must be embarrassing for school if a student is doing their job for them.
- seanhunter 3y agoBefore any gets inspired by this and tries to use an F0 for assorted hijinks like this, just make sure you understand the legal framework in your country. In the UK where I am for example, this is almost certainly “deliberate interference with wireless telegraphy” which can carry a 2 year prison sentence. Not saying that the law isn’t an ass, just that you might want to know what you’re getting yourself into before you do the prank. See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/rules https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/rules > It is illegal, unless authorised, to use any apparatus for the purpose of interfering with wireless telegraphy. For full details, see section 68(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006. > The maximum penalty is up to two years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
- networkchad 3y ago[dead]
- userbinator 3y agoI've always thought "wireless telegraphy" was an anachronistic, yet elegant term. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy
- deadbabe 3y agoSo what you’re saying is plant a device that can’t be traced to you then leave the area and set it to fire on some timer.
- gpuhacker 3y agoBrings back high school memories when we used to shutdown peoples mIRC client with a special message that you could send as a personal message to them. I don't know it anymore but I remember it started with a whole bunch of aaaaaaa, but also included other characters. The beauty is the attack left no trace at all, so they never knew what hit them.
- h454n5 3y agoI remember in school doing the old "net send /domain blahahahhahaaa" and eventually making a crude BAT script that autoran when you inserted a CD to spew line after line of corny middleschooler copypasta.
- bgro 3y agoInterfering with radio (phone) signals seems to be one of those perhaps unexpectedly serious crimes especially for how easy it seems to be even by accident. If only other similar service rights were given the same protection. Like the constant data leaks/thefts.
- jpc0 3y ago> especially for how easy it seems to be even by accident. This does seem to be one of those places where you would have to prove intent to get a conviction but IANAL.
- zelon88 3y agoProbably a Flipper Zero. I saw someone do this with one recently. Even before that, I wanted one. It is a pocket sized software defined radio for sub-gigzhertz signals. It can record and play back RF signals. https://flipperzero.one/ https://flipperzero.one/
- Obscurity4340 3y agoDoes this work if bluetooth is off? Like off-off (since Appl has off for ___ hrs-on and off-off
- sir_real 3y ago> phone turns off > victims