The reason the FCC is only allowing the sale of state approved routers in the US?

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[–] 129 points 5 months ago (13 children)

"This technology turns every router into a potential means for surveillance," warns Julian Todt from KASTEL. "If you regularly pass by a café that operates a WiFi network, you could be identified there without noticing it and be recognized later -- for example by public authorities or companies."

Later...

Inexpensive or older routers either don’t store history at all or keep it for a short time.

Newer models can store more information for more extended periods.

https://www.thetechwire.com/how-long-does-a-router-store-history/

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  • [–] 75 points 5 months ago (4 children)

    We used to recommend people to run the newest stuff possible, but we came to a point that maybe it's better for us to keep with older tech for a good while

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  • [–] 11 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Or go to more civilized countries for vacation to get not backdoored hardware.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago*

    Do you think every country has its own router hardware manufacturer and commodity chip manufacturer? 😂

    The 2 giants that make 95% of consumer routers around the world and the few companies that design the chips for them are both in heavy surveillance states.

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  • [–] 33 points 5 months ago* (6 children)

    From what I've just read, the tech doesn't seem ready to identify people yet. It can supposedly detect hand gestures, but facial recognition I seriously doubt. But that's probably just a matter of improving the tech. See this article for more info.

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  • [–] 11 points 5 months ago* (3 children)

    From OPs linked article...

    In tests involving 197 participants, the researchers said the system identified individuals with nearly 100% accuracy. The recognition remained effective regardless of viewing angle or how the participants walked.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    I can totally believe when it tracks a person it can tell when the same person walks by again later. But matching people with their actual identities would require a database of wifi scan data that simply doesn't exist yet.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago*

    Well in theory every tech possibility is a "yet", but the way I read this it seems like a person or object's interference pattern is particular to the local signal environment - not like a fingerprint a different system could recognize at the airport.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    that's a trivial problem to solve. combine this with a camera for facial recognition in a public space. then you've got wifi signature combined with the photo/video for facial recognition. then presumably you can use the WiFi signature anywhere else, even without the camera and be able to identify people.

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