AirDrop has made sharing photos, songs, and other files between two Apple users simple and more efficient. But the question of how safe and secure it is keeps circulating among users. Well, AirDrop is way more secure than most of the other file-transferring methods available, but like every other technology, it, too, is not completely immune to attacks.
The margin for error is minute and almost negligible, but it is always better to be on the safer side while dealing with the tech space. There are several safety measures that you can take to ensure you do not fall prey to online cyber attacks and hacking while using AirDrop. Read along to learn more about how safe or encrypted AirDrop is.
What is AirDrop and How Does It Work
AirDrop, as mentioned earlier, is a sharing platform exclusively created by Apple and available for its users. The feature has simplified the act of sharing files between various Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Even though you need to enable both Bluetooth and WiFi to Airdrop files, there are some options to AirDrop without WiFi as well.
The devices should be closer to each other and placed within the range of 13 meters in order to do a successful AirDrop. You have to choose the file or photo to AirDrop, click on the AirDrop icon, and choose the receiver’s device. The receiver has to accept the AirDrop request. When they do that, the file will be automatically saved on their device.
How Secure is AirDrop and What Should You Do to Make It Better
Apple left almost no space for a security breach in their AirDrop project. It was designed in such a way as to ensure the utmost safety. But human error can disrupt this structure. Any opening is enough to make a complete data leak and cyber attack possible.
Keep Your Receiving Off
It is important that you change the AirDrop settings in the right way to avoid any vulnerability. Keep it in the Receiving Off option at all times unless you are sending or receiving files through AirDrop.
Turn on AirDrop by enabling the Contacts Only option when necessary and turn it off once the need is over. Some users were not able to send or receive files or photos on AirDrop using the Contacts Only option due to some unknown glitch. If you ever experience such problems and when it is absolutely necessary, use the Everyone for 10 Minutes option and disable it without fail once the use is over.
Disable Bluetooth and WiFi
Keep the Bluetooth and WiFi settings turned off when not in use. This is to avoid unnecessary contact with attackers. When you turn off these options, hackers will not be able to detect your device and thus cannot attack it either.
Make Use of AirDrop Preview
As soon as an AirDrop exchange is made or when you receive the AirDrop request, cross-check with the AirDrop preview option. Especially while AirDropping photos, check if there are any malicious or unsettling pictures are being sent. If you do not trust the file or the sender, decline the request at once and turn off AirPlay.
Reject the files transferred by strangers and never download such files, no matter what. Those files might carry malware and jeopardize your digital data and security.
Update the Apple Device
More often than not, with every single software update, better security features along with fixes for bugs keep coming. It is essential that you keep your Apple device updated all the time for this very reason. Such security enhancements through updates will add an extra layer of protection to your device as well as your AirDrop transaction.
Reset Your Apple Device
If you suspect any unfamiliar activities in your Apple device after a specific AirDrop, do a complete reset. The file you received might carry malware. That is a safety hazard not worth taking a chance. It is better to lose all your data rather than let unknown sources access it.
AirDrop Security Threats You Should Know About
As long as you follow all the precautions mentioned in the above section, your Apple device, as well as your data, will be safe. But, however, it is necessary that you know all about the possible security threats that AirDrop is prone to. Keep an eye out for such threats to avoid them at all costs.
Possible Data Leak
Even though such data leaks rarely ever happen, it is important to know why you need to be aware of your surroundings while AirDropping. When you AirDrop a document, there is a set of encryption happening in the background. This is commonly known as Apple ID hashing. They make use of your personal email ID and phone number to do this.
Even though the information is jumbled and scrambled to keep it secure, there is a possibility of a hacker within the range of your AirDrop transfer, with the right key, accessing your data.
Man-in-the-Middle Attack
The man-in-the-middle attack is when an unknown party gets access to the AirDrop file and modifies it as they see fit. There should not have been space for such things to happen in the first place. However, several users have raised complaints regarding this, pointing out the flaw in the security protocol. Such attacks let the hackers get hold of the user’s personal data and corrupt their Apple devices.
Unsettling Content Sharing
One of the most commonly seen threats with AirDrop is the sharing of inappropriate and unsettling content without the consent of the receiver. This happens more in cinema theatres, restaurants, public transport, and airplanes where there is no way for people to get away from the AirDrop range.
FAQ
As long as you accept files and photos from people you know and trust, it is completely safe. Accepting files from strangers can lead to complications and even compromise your digital data if the file is not secure.
No. No matter how many files or photos you AirDrop, there is no way to track the data. Even the police will not be able to track the AirDrop files since the AirDrop history is not available.
If the file sent via AirDrop has malware in it, then the attackers can access the file saved in your files and modify it as they see fit. There is a possibility of someone hacking your device through AirDrop.
When you share files through AirDrop, they are encrypted in the hash format. The emails sent, on the other hand, are also encrypted, but the text sent is not saved as encrypted files. In that sense, AirDrop is relatively safer than email.