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arXiv:1502.03182cs.CR

PowerSpy: Location Tracking using Mobile Device Power Analysis

Yan Michalevsky, Gabi Nakibly, Aaron Schulman, Gunaa Arumugam Veerapandian, Dan Boneh

Abstract

Modern mobile platforms like Android enable applications to read aggregate power usage on the phone. This information is considered harmless and reading it requires no user permission or notification. We show that by simply reading the phone's aggregate power consumption over a period of a few minutes an application can learn information about the user's location. Aggregate phone power consumption data is extremely noisy due to the multitude of components and applications that simultaneously consume power. Nevertheless, by using machine learning algorithms we are able to successfully infer the phone's location. We discuss several ways in which this privacy leak can be remedied.

arXiv comments
Usenix Security 2015
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
cs.CRCryptography and Security

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Linked by 2 identifiable commenters in 2 comments across 1 thread, from Feb 2015 to Feb 2015. Found in 2 HN submissions from Feb 2015 to Feb 2015. Open submission discussions.

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  1. Battery power alone can be used to track Android phones 2 comments

    • Original research paper: http://arxiv.org/abs/1502.03182 PDF link: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1502.03182v1.pdf

      joostersView on HNParent context

    • > For instance, wouldn't you need to know details of how different buildings are constructed? They learned the typical profiles of power use for different journeys and then tried to distinguish between them (at least in one experiment). http://arxiv.org/pdf/1502.03182v1.pdf

      IanCalView on HNParent context

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