12 comments

  • luma 4 hours ago

    Looks like an open version of SkyHook from way back in 2003: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook_Wireless

    For a while they had a paid program, I had a Windows Mobile app I could run with an external GPS dongle that would record wifi APs and location, upload to skyhook, who would occasionally cut me a check for my trouble. I made tens of dollars!

    • Mashimo 2 hours ago

      Ohhh, there was money to be made with war driving? I just got points on a German bb forum.

  • drnick1 4 hours ago

    I started rotating my BSSID weekly after I learned Apple and Google abused it to track the location of people and devices.

    Permanent hardware or software IDs, such as the Windows GUID or machine-id on Linux (systemd) are inevitably abused for surveillance sooner or later.

    • S0und 4 hours ago

      You have all the good intentions, but since no one else does this around your location, I don't think you're achieving anything.

    • astrange 40 minutes ago

      You mean, they used it so people trying to use their maps apps didn't have to wait several minutes for a cold GPS fix?

    • skinfaxi an hour ago

      How do you coordinate across all of your devices?

  • anigbrowl 4 hours ago

    Isn't this just wha WIGLE does?

    • jcims 3 hours ago

      Basically except it's using an Apple service for the backend.

      Which will likely get cut off at some point.

      • mcculley 2 hours ago

        Why would it be cut off? Doesn’t Apple use this on devices?

  • doublerabbit 6 hours ago

    Cool. This'll go nicely with my hackslab and tinfoil hat upgrade.

  • oulipo 5 hours ago

    Interesting, wondering why Apple doesn't restrict the queries to its server using a certificate that would be pinned on the devices, etc, so at least you would need a legit iPhone/Mac to be able to do a query?

    • mcculley 2 hours ago

      Are you imagining some certificate unique to each device? What would prevent someone copying it?