Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a small commission if you make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you. For more information, please visit our Disclaimer Page.
Different wireless communications protocols allow users to share information across devices. These types of communications have long or short ranges, and Apple’s AirDrop belongs to the latter category.
AirDrop uses Bluetooth technology to connect with other iOS and macOS devices wirelessly. In either case, AirDrop uses Action or Data Frames with IPv6 addresses to facilitate communication.
Data transfer is probably why Apple device owners want to use AirDrop. And some consumers are worried about how secure the service is, particularly if they need to send personal or sensitive files.
Typically, wireless communication means that other devices might be able to discover your own. But that doesn’t mean that other users can access your data by default.
We will do our best to address some of these concerns in today’s article, touching on such topics as monitoring, hacking, the interception of data, and overall security measures for the service itself.
Table of Contents
Can Others Monitor You Through AirDrop?
No. Someone else cannot monitor your AirDrop using any of its native features. AirDrop only shows you the device name of anyone who wants to share a file on your device. But you won’t see any activity logs after that.
AirDrop uses encryption protocols from one end of the data transfer to the other. This feature protects the data you send or receive to be accessed by any third party.
While it is true that no one should be able to see your activity under normal circumstances, there are exceptions to these situations. But before we move on, we should stress that these are not methods available to the average user.
For such a situation, that person must have special knowledge and software to carry out their plan. Therefore, while it is possible to monitor any system, it is unlikely enough that we can say it usually doesn’t happen with AirDrop.
1. Spyware
Encryption protocols make AirDrop safe and secure from any malicious actor who wants some kind of access to your device. Even if they get this access, they still need some kind of back door to do this.
Typically, they used spyware would do this. Spyware software allows one user to maintain remote access to another person’s device. In most cases, you will not notice that there is secondary access they did not authorize.
With spyware, another person could see all the activity for which you might use your phone. In turn, they may be able to catch data that goes through your phone. This data might include files, passwords, or other sensitive information.
2. Managed Devices
Although AirDrop has its security protocols, managed devices may create exceptions. These devices are ones that a third party gives out to a group of people.
For example, a company may provide laptops for all employees, or a school may give each student a tablet. In these cases, employers or administrators may have special permission to monitor the activities of employees or students in the interest of school or company safety guidelines.
In turn, third parties may be able to monitor most of the activities on the devices. And this may include what sorts of transfers happen over AirDrop.
3. Other Hacking
Spyware is not the only type of hacking out there. More malicious forms of hacking might include the ability to monitor your device’s activity.
They could allow a bad actor to access some features on the phone or tablet. If so, they may be able to change settings in certain apps or services, including how AirDrop behaves on your device.
Although Apple only has limited settings for AirDrop, a third party could make your device’s Bluetooth visibility more extensive than you would like.
Can Someone Hack You if You Accept an AirDrop?
Typically, no one can hack your device just because you’ve accepted a file on AirDrop. There was a security vulnerability in AirDrop, but Apple patched this problem years ago.
Any device running current or recent versions of Apple’s operating systems will not face any issues from this problem. Let’s check some of the major factors contributing to Apple devices’ security.
1. Current Protocols
Apple engineers and developers are serious about maintaining security. They are constantly checking for vulnerabilities in the system. And when they find one, they fix it immediately.
Once they take care of it, they roll out a patch to update the current version of the operating system and make it even more secure.
Many Apple users keep their devices ready to update automatically, so they get security fixes once available. Although vulnerabilities are possible, Apple fixes them quickly.
2. Device Architecture
Because of how Apple devices work, it is difficult for anyone to hack yours through AirDrop. Generally, this would apply to almost any phone out there, but we will talk about Apple’s versions.
Somebody usually needs physical access to your phone to hack it. This is because they need to install the software you did not authorize. Once they do, they can look at what is on the phone, or they may be able to copy its data.
Typically, this access route is tough to manage, and it should only be possible if you jailbreak your iPhone. Jailbreaking allows your device to accept or download potentially dangerous software Apple does not authorize. Similarly, it would allow you to change how the phone functions. In either case, it is also a way for malicious individuals to access your device.
3. OS Versions
Older versions of Apple operating systems may have some vulnerabilities in them. That’s because Apple doesn’t support older iOS or macOS versions. Similarly, Apple focuses on its most recent version updates to make current users as secure as possible.
There is a chance that someone could gain access to your phone data if your phone is using an old iOS version. Even then, it is unlikely they could do so through AirDrop.
Can Someone AirDrop You From Far Away?
No, people cannot send your AirDrops from far away. Because of how the service works, you must be in both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Although the range of a Wi-Fi network might cover a large area, Bluetooth does not. At most, you might be able to transfer data between two devices that are perhaps a little over 30 feet apart.
Can You Get a Virus via AirDrop?
No, it is not possible to get a virus on your device via AirDrop. There are factors at play for getting access to your phone like this. AirDrop will send quarantine flags to you for any files it deems too suspicious. You also have the option to decline any incoming files.
For an additional layer of security, only accept AirDrops from people you know. Nothing anyone sends over AirDrop is executable, there are not many ways for a hacker to send you malicious software hidden in an AirDrop.
How Secure Is AirDrop?
If you use it properly, AirDrop is an extremely secure service. Apple has gone to great lengths to ensure it has strong data encryptions. Similarly, the company
Although you can adjust settings for AirDrop to make it a little more open to strangers nearby, there are still very few ways that anyone could exploit the service to access your device.
Can Someone Intercept Your AirDrop?
Apple’s encryption sends data directly from one device to another. Because of this protocol, there should be no way someone else can intercept AirDrop data. The only possible exception might be if you use a managed device.
Here, the system manager may implement protocols to use an interception proxy. Doing so may allow them to see some parts of the data you send. However, even in these cases, grabbing the information in its entirety is unlikely.
Conclusion
Making quick file transfers over short distances is incredibly useful for many Apple device owners. AirDrop makes this process easy, and it provides users with a way to back up their own data across different devices they own.
Although any sort of data transfer comes with risks, Apple has taken steps over the years to mitigate these issues in its AirDrop service. Thanks to strong encryptions and protocols for handling data. AirDrop appears to be a very secure way to transfer some file types wirelessly.
