How to Block Your Phone and Go Off the Grid
In the current high-tech era, smartphones have emerged as essential tools for communication, navigation, and entertainment. We typically believe that, like other electronic devices, phones can be turned off with a single press of a button. Unfortunately, this is a misconception – no modern smartphone possesses a complete shutdown function.
Smartphone manufacturers don't hide the fact that their gadgets never truly turn off and can be tracked even after being switched off
The Truth About Turning Off the Phone
The incidents of remote hacking and cyberattacks targeting smartphones are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Malicious actors exploit weaknesses in both software and hardware, gaining unauthorized access for the purpose of data theft and remote device control. When you turn off your smartphone, it might seem that the device becomes inaccessible for remote interactions. However, this isn’t the case – when a smartphone is switched off, it doesn't cease operations entirely.
Instead, the device enters a low-power state, often referred to as a "soft switch off." In this mode, certain background operations continue, although they use minimal energy. This involves not just maintaining the operation of internal clocks (a feature that appeared on old "button" phones) but also the operation of the smartphone's radio modules.
The device continues to maintain connections with various networks such as cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, enabling device-finding apps (like "Find My iPhone") to locate even turned-off phones. However, this network activity leaves the gadget vulnerable to tracking, hacking, and detection by nearby devices through the phone's unique identifiers.
Features of a Turned Off Phone
Another function that continues to operate even on a "turned-off" smartphone is geolocation. Modern gadgets come equipped with a multilevel geolocation tracking system. This includes combined GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou chips, geolocation based on base station data (A-GPS), and even location determination through connections with nearby devices via Bluetooth. Thus, even if the main GPS module is turned off, geolocation can be determined through secondary systems.
What About Airplane Mode?
Airplane mode was designed so that phones wouldn't interfere with the onboard radio equipment in airplanes. Consequently, many people mistakenly believe that airplane mode entirely disables all of a device's radio modules. In reality, in airplane mode, you're the only one who can't use the connection. The phone itself, and some apps on it, can still exchange data and track geolocation.
All these issues are compounded by vulnerabilities in the firmware and hardware of smartphones. Some of these vulnerabilities are exploited by malicious actors for tracking and hacking, even when the phone is in airplane mode or supposedly turned off.
The Solution
As a company committed to enhancing user privacy and security, Velter offers solutions that effectively bring your phone completely offline. Let's dive into how each of these products can help you stay off the grid.
Devices and accessories with a Faraday cage completely eliminate the possibility of remote tracking and eavesdropping on a smartphone.Designed specifically for smartphones, Velter's Faraday Case blocks radio signals across a wide electromagnetic range. It provides a simple and effective solution for those who want to prevent their device from transmitting or receiving signals without having to switch it off. By placing your smartphone in a Faraday Case, you're cutting off the connection between your phone and the outside world, keeping your data safe and preventing tracking.
Our Faraday Capsule is the ultimate tool for digital privacy and security. It's a bit larger than the case, allowing for the storage of multiple devices, perfect for confidential meetings where you want to ensure no device is transmitting or receiving signals. It blocks GSM, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, BT, GPS, NFC signals, effectively ensuring your device cannot be tracked or remotely accessed. This capsule allows you to keep your conversations private and your devices unhackable, providing you with peace of mind.
For those on the move, the Faraday Backpack offers a larger, more versatile solution. The backpack blocks all radio signals, preventing your devices from transmitting data or being tracked. It's made of a multilayer metallized fabric, providing a Faraday cage effect for anything inside. Plus, it's designed to be durable and waterproof, keeping your devices safe from both electronic signals and physical damage. It's a perfect solution for travelers who want to keep their devices offline and secure while on the go.
Conclusion
In our increasingly connected world, ensuring privacy and security is becoming more and more important. While our smartphones offer us incredible convenience and connectivity, they also expose us to potential risks, from tracking to hacking. Although we might think that turning off our phones or enabling airplane mode would protect us, these measures are insufficient.
To truly safeguard our digital lives, we need to take additional measures. Velter offers an array of products, such as Faraday sleeves, bags and capsules, that block all forms of signals and prevent unauthorized access to our devices. Using such solutions can ensure that our data is safe, our conversations are private, and our locations are secure. By taking these steps, we can navigate the digital world with greater confidence and peace of mind.