SoniControl - the first ultrasonic firewall

The project SoniControl aims at developing an application to detect and block unwanted audio tracking on mobile devices.

SoniControl

Acoustic surveillance

The constant connectivity of our mobile devices exposes us to new surveillance methods. Novel technologies build upon ultrasonic sounds to exchange information. More and more of our devices communicate via this inaudible communication channel. Ultrasonic communication enables to pair devices, exchange information but also to track users and their behaviour across several devices similar to cookies in the web.
Unfortunately, up until now there is no technology available that detects ultrasonic communication and that enables users to protect their privacy.

The first ultrasonic firewall

To overcome this gap, within the project SoniControl we research the current capabilities of ultrasonic communication and this unknown communication channel. We develop a mobile application that detects ultrasonic activity, notifies the user and blocks the information on demand. Thereby, we want to raise the awareness for this novel technology and help users to protect their privacy. All project results and the application will be made available for the public after completion of the project under a Creative Commons license; the system is therefore directly usable and expandable for everyone.

Follow-up project SoniControl 2.0

Publications

Presseberichte

Digital Leben
11/20/2017

Publisher: Ö1

 

You want to know more? Feel free to ask!

Head of
Media Computing Research Group
Institute of Creative\Media/Technologies
Department of Media and Digital Technologies
Location: A - Campus-Platz 1
M: +43/676/847 228 652
External Staff
Kevin Pirner
Peter Kopciak
Funding
netidee
Runtime
12/31/2016 – 12/30/2017
Status
finished
Involved Institutes, Groups and Centers
Institute of Creative\Media/Technologies
Research Group Media Computing