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Apple AirDrop Vulnerable to Being Hacked

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An interesting discovery made by security researchers at the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, suggests that there is a security flaw in Apple’s AirDrop service.

Apple AirDrop is one of the services that serves as a place to share data such as photos, videos, locations, sites, and even other personal data wirelessly around users of Apple devices (iOS or MacOS). The app requires users to activate Wifi and Bluetooth at the same time before making a data transfer.

In addition, the most important thing in using this app is that the user must sign in using an ID to be able to take advantage of the service. The reciprocal authentication process embedded by Apple utilizes the data contained in the contact address in the form of an email address as well as a phone number, so that the data transfer service seems safe from any form of hacking.

However, security researchers found weaknesses behind the service. The data transfer process could have been hacked by someone who is even fully a stranger. They explained that it only takes a Wifi device and the distance between Apple device users as long as the AirDrop transfer portal is opened.

Reported from TU Darmstadt’s official website, the main problem that causes this security loophole is Apple’s use of hash functions for contact address information on both the sender and recipient sides. Hackers can change hash values and brute-force attacks, then obscure the information so that they get data transfer during the exchange process. The hacking mechanism in this case has also been established in a discussion forum on one of the platforms, GifHub.

The research team has also developed a solution to the problem in October 2020. They developed a service called PrivateDrop to replace the troubled AirDrop service. This service optimizes hash values so that contact meetings in the data transfer portal can be conducted securely. This service can also provide time efficiency to the authentication process in under 1 second.

So far Apple has not made any updates and has not acknowledged any vulnerability gaps in the service. This means that hacking on AirDrop is still vulnerable and can be experienced by Apple’s 1.5 billion device users. However, this can certainly be solved simply by disabling it until the information or security updates are done by Apple.

“This means Apple users are still vulnerable to the privacy attacks outlined. They can only protect themselves by disabling AirDrop discovery in system settings and by refraining from opening the sharing panel,” according to the PrivateDrop development team.

Benefits of Using Technology for Education

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Technology is referred to as being able to provide ease in various aspects. In terms of education, technology also exerts considerable influence. These two things are increasingly inseparable due to the role of the two who are related to each other.

Some of the benefits of using technology in education have been felt not only by students, but also by educators. Here are among the benefits:

Improving the quality of education

Education is one aspect that is believed to open up opportunities to improve quality of life. However, education that does not run to the maximum will also not have a good impact anyway. Well, the existence of technology can be one way to improve the quality of education. Especially the quality of domestic education.

Technology can be used as a tool to facilitate the teaching process by educators. In addition, it can be used by students to explore more knowledge. If teachers and educators are able to use this technology properly, then the quality of education in Indonesia will also improve.

Supporting media lessons

In teaching and learning activities, it is not uncommon for students to feel saturated with monotonously delivered subject matter. With technology, educators are now able to create alternative ways of teaching that are more interactive. For example, by showing lesson materials through lively presentation slides or with videos that invite students to focus more on learning.

By implementing learning innovations that are more alive than technology, it will be very likely that learning in the classroom will be more enjoyable. Students will also be more eager to receive lesson materials.

Means of information

The benefit that can be obtained from other technologies is the ease of obtaining information. Often when doing chores or getting material that is difficult to learn, students will tend to look for it through the given textbook. But now there is also another alternative that can go through search engines thanks to the advancement of technology.

This ease is often utilized by almost all students and students. In fact, not a few educators use technology to find more information about a subject matter to be delivered.

Usually, to get accurate information about a material, educators and students will refer to a website that has been trusted with a high degree of accuracy. One of them, through an online education portal such as one that provides a lot of information, both for school students, students, and the general public.

Unlimited learning media

When in conditions full of limitations to get an education, technology comes as one of the saviours. For example, when the Covid-19 pandemic occurred at the beginning of the year, teaching and learning activities in schools were forced to be stopped for some time to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In these conditions, technology has become a medium that allows students and teachers to learn to teach without face-to-face. Teachers and students can do the learning process through video conferences, sending tasks and materials via group chat to email.

Indirectly, Covid-19 makes educators and students rely 100 percent on technology in the learning process. At first, it may take habituation because the online learning process is something new in the world of education. But, when viewed from the other side, technology has become a learning media helper without any restrictions on conditions.

So, that’s the benefit that can be taken from the exist of technology in the world of education. There are many benefits that can be obtained if the technology is used properly and will certainly further improve the quality of education of the Indonesian people.