You may be able to get full privacy and security for your smartphone through its case.
Israel-based security firm Cirotta has put forth a new idea in which a smartphone case can act as a physical barrier between hackers and the data on your device. The firm, which has its roots in the military, said the cases provide complete protection while enabling full operation of your smartphone.
The case, which retails around $200, is targeted towards the military, security officials, government officials, VIPs, and executives who need serious protection.
Cirotta is the product of the Israeli military and a father-and-son security team. CEO Shlomi Erez, owner of Terra Real-Estate and a reserve colonel in the Israeli Air Force, started the company in 2019 with his son Eran Erez, chief operating officer and once a member of the Israeli Air Force Intelligence Special Forces.
Per Erez:
“The idea was my father’s, but I was the executor. We come from the military background, which is one point that we thought about as we looked at it through a political perspective and the technical perspective. No one is trusting each other. In politics, everyone is recording each other. And in the tech world, we saw that we have lots of business intelligence,” where theft of corporate information is routine.
Cirotta has cited that it has six patents on the technology, and can create multiple configurations to meet the needs of its mobile users. The cases are independent, don’t use your phone, and they’re not network-specific. They don’t rely on app to work as well.
The case can block all camera lenses, and can prevent unwanted audio or video recordings, conversation tracking, and unauthorized calls. The company says it can also prevent operating system hacks and data sweeping when powered on.
The cases also use specialized security algorithms to bypass a phone’s active noise filtering system, can block the the microphone’s external use on the device, and override the global positioning system to block location discovery.
The cases can also nullify discoverable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections and neutralize near-field communications (NFC). Those networks enable people in close proximity to a user to hack a phone.
It’s also been noted that it’s possible to load malware onto an iPhone even when it’s off, as a new feature in iOS 15 allows users to locate a phone that is powered off as the chip itself sends a signal using Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), and Ultra-Wideband (UWB), according to Cirotta.
The case features its own CPU, battery, and memory system, as well as its own separate port for charging, separate from the phone’s charging port. Users you charge their smartphone with one charger, and can charge the case with another USB-C charger. The device offers about 18 hours of battery life.
Other features include a switch that can be moved to block the camera. While the case isn’t allowed to block Wi-Fi or cellphone signals in a wide area, users can block themselves, creating an additional layer of protection. The case can also protect against electromagnetic pulse attacks.
The cases are currently available in two models. The Athena case is designed for various smartphone models – currently for the iPhone 12 Pro, and also aimed at iPhone 13 Pro, future iPhone devices, Samsung Galaxy S22, and in the future many other models.
These cases are available in silver and gold models. The Athena Silver, which is available immediately, blocks a microphone and camera, and the Athena Gold, currently in development, will secure a phone’s Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.
The Universal model is suitable for all smartphone models. The Universal cases will be available in August 2022 and sport a bronze, silver, and gold model. The Universal Bronze blocks only a phone’s camera; the Universal Silver blocks both the camera and microphone. In contrast, the Universal Gold blocks all transmissible data points, including a microphone, camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth.
A single charge of either case provides over 24 hours of use, and given that it’s a 100 percent external accessory, no connection is required between the case and a mobile phone, preventing the case from being hacked. It is available for single-use phone purposes and for organizations looking to lock multiple devices with a unique/single key.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via VentureBeat and Cirotta