How Hackers can Use Radio-waves to Gain Access to Your Smartphone Remotely

Hacking Smartphones Remotely is now Possible according to study

How terrible would it be if someone around you gains access to your smartphone and starts using it as if it’s theirs’? They would be able to make calls, send text messages, browse the Internet, and do much more without even actually taking it from you.

See also: How to Locate Someone’s Location using their Mobile Number

We know that it may not really sound something practically possible to you, but if results of the recent study conducted by French researchers are anything to go by, software such as Siri or Google Now on your smartphone can be used by hackers to gain access to it.

New hack that allows controlling others’ smartphones

In fact, these researchers have discovered such a hack themselves, and their entire study is based on how it works. What they managed to find is that if there’s a hacker around you who wants to gain access to your smartphone, they may be able to do so by transmitting radio commands. To your surprise, they don’t even need to utter word to give instructions to such software like Siri and Google Now, and they will still be able to use them.

What’s needed for the hack to work?

However, it’s also probably worth noting that the hacker needs to be within 16 feet from where you are, as if you are farther away, the hack may not be able to reach your smartphone, meaning that the commands they transmit wouldn’t be able to control the said software.

Furthermore, there’s another thing that’s needed for the hackers to control your smartphone, which is your headphones (micro-phone enabled) being plugged into its jack.

How it all works?

Frankly speaking, it seems a pretty interesting process the way this hack works. Basically, it uses just two things:

1. iPhone or an Android phone with headphones (need to be microphone-enabled) plugged into the jack and a radio transmitter.
2. The hackers use the radio transmitter to silently send voice commands to Siri or Google Now, depending on whether it’s an iPhone or an Android device.
3. If you are within 16 feet of the hacker, the headphones will probably work as radio antennas, allowing the voice commands to control the apps using their micro-phone.

This can be done simply because the smartphone you may be using starts believing that the commands are actually coming from you, as the micro-phone is being used to give these commands.

Things hackers could access

There are quite a lot of things hackers could access on your smartphone using this hack, some of which have already been mentioned above. However, let us take a look at some of the most important of functions of your smartphone which they can use and exploit:

• Making calls
• Sending text messages
• Browsing the Internet, including harmful and malware sites
• Calling their own number, allowing them to eavesdrop on you
• Spam your Facebook, Twitter, or email contacts

The French researchers also pointed out that though these may not be reasons tempting enough for someone to hack your smartphone, unless of course if they know you personally, there’s actually something even strangers might want to hack your smartphone for. This is because they can even call a paid number using it, which can make them quite a bit of money each time they do it.

Video Demonstration

Video demo by thehackernews.com