Okay Google, Where’s My Tracker? Security, Privacy, and Performance Evaluation of Google's Find My Device Network

In April 2024, Google launched the Find My Device Network (FMDN), an Offline-Finding Network (OFN) that allows lost Bluetooth devices, such as trackers or headphones, to be located using billions of Android devices as finders. Similarly to Apple's Find My network, it is activated by default on all modern Android devices. Google promises end-to-end encryption for all location updates and claims to protect the privacy of finder devices as well as owners of lost devices and trackers. Although Android is open-source, FMDN is part of Google Play Services and is only partially publicly specified. We reverse-engineer the proprietary parts of the network, document its behavior, and analyze its privacy, security, and performance. We find several security and privacy issues, including denial-of-service attacks and a potential linkage attack on Android. We further implement a custom app, porting Google's trackers from Android to iOS while also extending the features of the FMDN.

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Publication Details

Journal
Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies
Published
2025-07-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.56553/popets-2025-0147
Primary Topic
Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Okay Google, Where’s My Tracker? Security, Privacy, and Performance Evaluation of Google's Find My Device Network

Matthias Hollick, А. И. Матерн, Leon Böttger, Dennis Arndt
Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies
Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
article

Okay Google, Where’s My Tracker? Security, Privacy, and Performance Evaluation of Google's Find My Device Network

Matthias Hollick, А. И. Матерн, Leon Böttger, Dennis Arndt
article en

Abstract

In April 2024, Google launched the Find My Device Network (FMDN), an Offline-Finding Network (OFN) that allows lost Bluetooth devices, such as trackers or headphones, to be located using billions of Android devices as finders. Similarly to Apple's Find My network, it is activated by default on all modern Android devices. Google promises end-to-end encryption for all location updates and claims to protect the privacy of finder devices as well as owners of lost devices and trackers. Although Android is open-source, FMDN is part of Google Play Services and is only partially publicly specified. We reverse-engineer the proprietary parts of the network, document its behavior, and analyze its privacy, security, and performance. We find several security and privacy issues, including denial-of-service attacks and a potential linkage attack on Android. We further implement a custom app, porting Google's trackers from Android to iOS while also extending the features of the FMDN.

Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing TechnologiesVol. 2025(4)
Technische Universität Darmstadt (DE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 77%
Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
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