Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are warning iPhone and Apple Watch users about privacy concerns regarding a feature in Apple’s latest operating system update, but tech experts say those issues are minimal or nonexistent.
In a statement Thursday, the Hawaii Police Department issued its own warning about the feature, called NameDrop, which allows users with iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 “to quickly share contact information with a nearby iPhone or Apple Watch,” according to the tech corporation.
The NameDrop feature is defaulted to ON when the update is downloaded, which is a cause of concern for law-enforcers.
“If it’s in the wrong hands, say a child predator, they could possibly just walk up and tap a kid’s phone in and attempt to get that information,” said Sgt. Jason Grouns of the HPD’s Administrative Services Bureau. “We must take the necessary steps to prevent our children’s contact information from falling into the wrong hands.”
Users can simply bring two devices close enough together and a NameDrop prompt will appear on both screens, allowing users to choose if they want to share and receive contact cards. This is a major red flag from a cybersecurity standpoint, police said.
Police are cautioning parents to change these settings on their children’s phones, iPads and other Apple devices, and to remind their children to not lend their phone to a stranger.
To turn off the NameDrop feature, police recommend users go to “Settings,” “General,” “AirDrop,” “Bringing Devices Together,” and then switch to “OFF.”
“I went to the Apple website, and it looks like you are going to have to accept or give consent for somebody to take your contact information,” Grouns said. “It’s still just concerning, the ease of which one can share their contact information.”
Other police departments that have issued similar public dispatches include Longwood Police Department in Florida; Oakland County Sheriff’s Department in Michigan; Tennessee’s Henry County Sheriff’s Office; Virginia’s Halifax Police Department; Wisconsin’s Village of Mount Pleasant Police Department; and Ohio’s Middletown Division of Police, according to USA Today.
HPD Chief Ben Moszkowicz said his department “did not get any information from the federal government or others asking us to inform the public.”
“As someone who doesn’t own any Apple products myself, I was alerted to the issue by a Hawaii County resident who emailed me (Wednesday) afternoon,” Moszkowicz told the Tribune-Herald in a Thursday email. “I did some research and began to realize the potential implications to people’s privacy, should they choose not to turn the new feature off.
“This feature seems to be designed for those who want the convenience of being able to share information with others who are nearby. While we haven’t gotten any reports of unwanted sharing of personal information using this new iOS feature, it is important for those in the community to be aware of how their cellphones and other devices may be impacting their privacy. That way, each person can make the choice for themselves.”
Meanwhile, cybersecurity experts are publicly opining that stranger-danger concerns surrounding the NameDrop feature are overblown.
Tech publication PC Magazine published an opinion piece Tuesday titled: “PSA: Apple’s NameDrop Feature Is Not a Security Nightmare.”
Noting that NameDrop is a new function on Apple’s AirDrop feature — which allows file sharing from 30 feet or so away — PCMag said the devices must be much closer for NameDrop to activate.
“The feature … requires consent to work,” according to PCMag. “Once you hold the two iPhones together, each will get the NameDrop card and options to share or receive contact details. Both users must choose what to do (and at least one needs to send), and if you walk away, the connection will be cut.
“Between proximity and consent requirements, it would be difficult for someone to force a contact into your phone, short of grabbing your unlocked phone. And at that point, you have worse problems than an unwanted NameDrop.”
The New York Times said in a Wednesday article the two devices have to be almost touching for NameDrop to work.
“To the extent there’s panic here about nonconsensual taking of contact information, I’m not that worried,” Mark Bartholomew, a University at Buffalo law professor who specializes in cyberlaw, told the Times. He added there are also measures to prevent information theft.
Grouns said the newest iPhones already have the operating system with NameDrop defaulted to “ON” and “then (Apple) started slowly rolling this out to those on older operating systems.”
Another new feature of the operating system is easier photo sharing via AirDrop.
“Now, you can just put your phone right in front of somebody’s with the photo you want to share, and it will just shoot it right onto their screen,” Grouns said.
Grouns said the department wants to proactively inform the public that their contact information — and more importantly, their children’s contact information — can be at risk.
“Your personal contact information should stay secure on your phone. It’s not for other people,” Grouns said. “And we just want the public to know.”
Those who believe someone is trying to unlawfully obtain their private information can contact the police nonemergency number at (808) 935-3311.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.