High school student allegedly uses device to turn off nearby iPhones

Wow, 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• 3 years ago

The firmware is open source, and third party software already exists

Ex: https://github.com/Flipper-XFW/Xtreme-Firmware

gipp2• 3 years ago

Picked 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

duskwuff• 3 years ago

It looks good for hacking but is it hackable itself?

Yes. The firmware is open-source and can be reflashed over USB, and SWD is exposed on the socket on the top of the device.

Beached• 3 years ago

fully hackable. they give you for shell access over USB, and it has exposed io ports for custom accessories. they encourage you to play around with the firmware and expand its capabilities how're you want, it is part of the product design and intention

fragmede• 3 years ago

it exposes an Arm serial wire debug port, which is and isn't a JTAG port. Specifically, it's a different layer 1 interface, using a 2-wire serial port instead, but it uses the JTAG protocol on top.

theshrike79• 3 years ago

There's a whole community making stuff for it. You can even get external antennas attached to the GPIO pins that multiply the range to something ridiculous.

TBH mine is mostly a clone of my NFC/RFID keys and I've got every Amiibo on ever made downloaded on it :D

threatofrain• 3 years ago

Supposedly the most recent updates stop that.

arch-choot• 3 years ago

It's also possible via something way cheaper, like an ESP32 (~US$1.5), e.g. using https://github.com/ckcr4lyf/EvilAppleJuice-ESP32 (Disclaimer: I am the author)

wkat42422• 3 years ago

Makes 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• 3 years ago

Reminds 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...

lacrimacida• 3 years ago

Maybe 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.

AndrewKemendo2• 3 years ago

If 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

_nalply• 3 years ago

As long you give scripts they can execute this might work out

iinnPP• 3 years ago

It's a highschool. That's plenty old enough to write your own exploits.

aaron695• 3 years ago

I'll just be a Flipper Zero with a new 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-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.

ryukoposting3• 3 years 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• 3 years ago

This 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.

dmoy• 3 years ago

To be fair to apple, Bluetooth is a hot mess

teppic• 3 years ago

Oh no my phone turned off. Someone call the police.

teaearlgraycold• 3 years ago

Do this in the wrong school district and they'll put you in prison. Absolutely ridiculous.

squarefoot• 3 years ago

Well, 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• 3 years ago

Do 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.

pySSK2• 3 years ago

But how? My phone is off!

rdtsc• 3 years ago

I 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• 3 years ago

Those darn kids and their phones! Keep it down! I’m tryna watch some tv here!

ace2358• 3 years ago

A 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)

EMIRELADERO4• 3 years ago

Does 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.

swarnie• 3 years ago

This is pretty common i think.

20 years ago when i was at school phones had to be turned off at the gate and not turned back on until you left, a 3310's text message ringtone meant someone was getting suspended. Some small exceptions were made... If you stayed late for sports practise you could turn them on outside the locker rooms to call for a lift ect...

From what i understand from my nieces / nephews the rule is still in place at the same school.

MrBuddyCasino• 3 years ago

As a teacher, how resentful of your students do you have to be to determine this was the best course of action?

belltaco• 3 years ago

Probably someone tired of the blue and green bubble BS on iPhones.

bitwize• 3 years ago

Ah yes, classic case of someone being arrested for the crime of doing something the police think only they should be allowed to do.

cududa• 3 years ago

Nobody was arrested

astrange• 3 years ago

Do policemen regularly turn off your phone?

SoftTalker• 3 years ago

"Victims" really.

daemonologist• 3 years ago

Reminds 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

omeze• 3 years ago

This 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• 3 years ago

The article isn't very specific, but I would speculate that the iPhone for someone somewhat high up in the school was affected.

exabrial• 3 years ago

Wow Must be embarrassing for school if a student is doing their job for them.

seanhunter• 3 years ago

Before 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

   > 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.

userbinator• 3 years ago

I've always thought "wireless telegraphy" was an anachronistic, yet elegant term.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy

deadbabe2• 3 years ago

So 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.

Gigablah• 3 years ago

Wireless interference would be the lesser charge at this point.

agsnu• 3 years ago

The UK has the most CCTV cameras per person outside of China, so better make sure your opsec counter-surveillance skills are up to scratch...

skygazer2• 3 years ago

“Unlimited fines” sound mind-bendingly excessive — risk of financial singularity. I’d opt for the merciful two years.

maccard• 3 years ago

You don't get a choice in it.

dfgfek• 3 years ago

Not saying that the law isn’t an ass

The ass here is the person who is disabling phones that don't belong to him.

basch• 3 years ago

Shouldn’t everyone’s parents have already had their kids phones in school mode? Who would have been on their phone in the first place to notice it was off?

Pretty interesting they are referring to everyone whose photo turned off as victims. Wouldn’t they also be violators of school phone policy?

alephnerd• 3 years ago

Also, if you are intent on doing this in K-12, make sure to practice strong opsec if executing on this.

Source: banned from all SFUSD computers in middle school after exploiting misconfigured AD for the middle school library after the librarian noticed the time period it occurred

qingcharles• 3 years ago

Ah, I was banned the first year of secondary school (11-16) because I persuaded the computer teacher's son to give me the admin passwords for the network...

gpuhacker• 3 years ago

Brings 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• 3 years ago

I 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• 3 years ago

Interfering 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• 3 years 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• 3 years ago

Probably 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/

Obscurity4340• 3 years ago

Does this work if bluetooth is off? Like off-off (since Appl has off for ___ hrs-on and off-off

sir_real• 3 years ago

phone turns off
victims

High school student allegedly uses device to turn off nearby iPhones

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