German researchers find Wi-Fi routers identify nearby people 99.5% accurately
Turns out your Wi-Fi router might know you better than you think.
Researchers from Germany just found that common routers can actually identify who's nearby with 99.5% accuracy, thanks to something called beamforming feedback information (BFI).
This tech, meant to boost your signal, picks up on tiny changes in the environment—like walls and even people moving around.
Researchers warn unencrypted BFI enables tracking
The team tested BFI data and managed to pick out 161 individuals, even when folks tried mixing up their walk or carrying stuff (though accuracy dropped a bit).
The big problem? BFI data isn't encrypted and can be accessed without connecting to the router, making it easy for someone to track you without your consent.
Researchers are urging companies and regulators to step in—either tighten privacy rules or rethink using beamforming altogether, because nobody wants their home Wi-Fi turning into a surveillance tool.