Waiting Game

The next episode of TechSNAP is still in the works, so Wes takes a quick look at an interesting application of public-key cryptography in Apple's Find My feature.

• Apple's 'Find My' Feature Uses Some Very Clever Cryptography — In upcoming versions of iOS and macOS, the new Find My feature will broadcast Bluetooth signals from Apple devices even when they're offline, allowing nearby Apple devices to relay their location to the cloud. That should help you locate your stolen laptop even when it's sleeping in a thief's bag. And it turns out that Apple's elaborate encryption scheme is also designed not only to prevent interlopers from identifying or tracking an iDevice from its Bluetooth signal, but also to keep Apple itself from learning device locations, even as it allows you to pinpoint yours.