Attackers will only need an old Android smartphone to identify the victim. The mobile version of the Telegram messenger has a function that ...
The mobile version of the Telegram messenger has a function that allows you to set the location of a person with an accuracy of up to a meter. A programmer with the nickname JKCTech described the algorithm of actions in GitHub.
In 2021, the developers added the "People Nearby" feature to Telegram, which shows users who are nearby and a fairly accurate distance to them. In this way, you can view their profiles or write messages, but the phone number remains hidden. The option can be turned on or off at any time.
"This may help you make new friends, but it may also attract unwanted attention," the app's notification warns.
To search for a victim, attackers can use the trilateration method in combination with spoofing (substitution) of the GPS signal.
The process takes about half an hour if done manually. A JKCTech programmer has created a system capable of doing it automatically in minutes. The program determines the location of all Telegram users who have activated the function in the selected zone.
JKCTech notes that in addition to users, group chats can also be tracked by location. Thanks to the "People Nearby" function, it became possible to read messages in such groups without joining them. Thus, you can find chat rooms where people sell illegal goods or provide services.
The Focus publication turned to Taras Rozkishny, a mobile application testing specialist and head of the Guild of IT Specialists, who analyzed the publication on GitHub. He used emulators in the Android Studio environment to test the program hosted by JKCTech.
According to the expert, it is possible to recreate the algorithm on emulators, however, real devices use many different components to determine the user's location: WiFi, Bluetooth, network coordinates, GPS. In this regard, the expert says, only older versions of the Android OS allow using GPS spoofing. However, this does not negate the fact that with the help of an emulator on a computer, you can set any geolocation, use the trilateration method and find a person with an accuracy of up to a meter.
"The main method of protection is to prohibit Telegram access to geolocation in the smartphone settings," Taras Rozkishny summed up.
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