Android Malware can now steal 3D Model Of Your Location

Android Malware can now steal 3D Model Of Your Location
(thehackernews.com)

The original source for the article is:
PlaceRaider: Virtual Theft in Physical Spaces with Smartphones
(arxiv.org)

An MIT team has developed malware for smartphones than can reconstruct a 3D model of the victim's environment.

According to the MIT Technology Review, researchers at Indiana University and the Naval Surface Warfare Center have developed a new form of malware designed to record and reconstruct a victim's environment.

They has just worked out how to infect a mobile phone with a Trojan that can take photos without you knowing anything about it and send sensor data back to a server. The data are used to construct a 3D model which can be used not only to perform the reconnaissance necessary to break in, but also to steal confidential information such as bank details.

A PDF file from the research team goes into detail how the malware works;
PlaceRaider: Virtual Theft in Physical Spaces with Smartphones - PDF file

From photos - to 3D map



In the hands of the Pentagon or CIA, this might be planted on a suspected terrorist's phone, after capturing enough images they can reconstruct a 3D map of the suspect's environment, to plan a raid. Police may use it when going after high-profile criminals, to get a glimpse via 3D modelling of what the suspect's home or environment looks like before kicking in the door.

Fascinating, yet scary. Not quite the fictional Batphone sonar mapping thing, but still pretty impressive.

Now it looks like in addition to the piece of tape I have stuck across my laptop's camera, I'll have to slap one across my phone's camera, too. Ain't technology grand?

Cool. Scary. But cool, nonetheless.

The more sensors these gadgets have, the more data they can collect. Combined the correct way you should get a really interesting lifemap, as I would call it.

It was just a matter of time.

BTW: I doubt that any hacker (apart from real-life-thieves, you know.. Breaking in your house and stealing stuff) would be interested in that data when they could take away your bank-logins.


MAN, I could think of a thousand ways this could help me in my own little place - just have some measurement for lengths included and I would buy that app!

I have a mild phobia of my phones cameras, I sometimes put a piece of tape over the lens.....I just know that that many cameras will not go to waste.....


They literally have eyes and ears in almost every populated area of the planet......like that would just be respected.

They don't need malware....they can just ask the companies to give them complete access and it will be done.

An Update or it comes pre-installed and labeled as a necessary component.

Just be smart about how you use your devices. It won't happen. Its not just android phones but iOS phones are capable of this too, just more under wraps. Honestly, don't worry about it, just be vigilant that it could happen. Don't do stupid things.

Not only do they have images to reconstruct your environment but they can use the wireless as a radar to figure out the exact dimensions of your area.

Your Wii, PS3, computers....anything with a wireless capability beeping out a signal can be used to get dimensions...locations....even use it as a radar to detect when someone enters the room.

They could even ping your car and unlock the doors if they wanted to.

reply to post by Pervius


Don't think that is physically possible, Wifi antennas do not receive radio waves in that fashion. At best it can only xmit/receive from a router or wifi device. Can't pick up/detect reflected surfaces like walls. But will be interested to see any papers on such a means.