Ethical Hacking News
Uncovering a shocking vulnerability in Apple's Find My network, a young security researcher has successfully tricked the system into sharing location data with Linux-based devices. This ingenious exploit highlights the need for Apple to review its security protocols and ensure that its Find My network is more robust and secure.
Security researcher "Zerotistic" tricks Apple's Find My network into sharing location data with Linux-based devices. The exploit uses Apple's GrandSlam authentication protocol and custom certificate signing request to link a Linux machine to an Apple account. Zerotistic's script can unwrap, extract, and decrypt location data from the Find My network. The vulnerability has significant implications for users relying on Find My for tracking purposes.
In a shocking revelation that has sent ripples throughout the tech community, a young security researcher, known only by their handle "Zerotistic," has successfully tricked Apple's Find My network into sharing location data with Linux-based devices. This ingenious exploit, which has left Apple seemingly unaware of the vulnerability, has significant implications for users who rely on Find My for tracking purposes.
To understand the intricacies of this exploit, it is essential to delve into the world of Apple's Find My network and its limitations. Find My is an app designed to help users locate their devices, including iPhones, iPads, and AirTags. It also allows users to track the whereabouts of friends and family members, providing a convenient and secure way to stay connected. However, the full Find My experience is exclusive to Apple hardware, leaving Linux users in the dark when it comes to tracking their devices and locations.
Zerotistic's breakthrough came when they discovered that the Find My network could be tricked into sharing location data with a Linux-based machine, which was registered under their Apple account. This was achieved by utilizing Apple's GrandSlam authentication protocol, which allows users to tie their device to their Apple account. From there, Zerotistic built a custom certificate signing request (CSR) using the PKCS#10 format and a 2048-bit RSA key signed using SHA-1, which linked the Linux machine to their Apple account.
Once the CSR was created, Apple signed it, handing the Linux device the Identity Services (IDS) certificate needed to register its public key to Zerotistic's Apple account. The next step was to convince Find My that the Linux device was capable of receiving location data. This was achieved by subscribing to six different subservices, defining the types of encryption supported, and providing the public keys required for Apple's device-to-device messaging format.
With the Linux device enrolled in the Find My network, Zerotistic was able to issue a SubscribeAndFetch request, which prompted the device of their friend to push an encrypted location key to the newly registered Linux device. Finally, Zerotistic developed a Linux script to unwrap Apple's messaging envelope, extract the shared location key, and decrypt the Find My location data, which is comprised of coordinates, timestamps, and accuracy information.
The entire process took less than a week of tinkering, demonstrating the ingenuity and expertise of the researcher. The implications of this exploit are significant, as it highlights the need for Apple to review its security protocols and ensure that its Find My network is more robust and secure.
In response to the Register's inquiry, Apple did not immediately respond to whether it was aware of Zerotistic's work or if it had any plans to address the issue. This lack of response has left many wondering whether Apple is taking adequate measures to protect its users and their location data.
As the tech community continues to grapple with the consequences of this exploit, one thing is clear: the world of cybersecurity is constantly evolving, and it is the responsibility of companies like Apple to stay ahead of the curve and protect their users from emerging threats.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Unveiling-the-Unintended-Consequences-of-Apples-Find-My-Network-A-Security-Researchers-Ingenious-Exploit-ehn.shtml
https://www.theregister.com/security/2026/08/20/researcher-tricks-apples-find-my-into-sharing-location-data-with-linux/5290496
Published: Thu Aug 20 14:26:56 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
