AirTag Successfully Hacked to Show Custom URL in Lost Mode

The inevitable race to hack Apple's AirTag item tracker has reportedly been won by a German security researcher, who managed to break into the device's microcontroller and successfully modify its firmware.


Thomas Roth, aka Stack Smashing, shared his achievement in a tweet and explained that re-flashing the device's microcontroller had enabled him to change the URL for Lost Mode, so that it opens his personal website on a nearby iPhone or other NFC-enabled device instead of directly linking to an official Find My web address.

Managing to break into the microcontroller is a crucial hurdle to overcome to if the aim is to further manipulate the device's hardware. As The 8-Bit notes:

A microcontroller is an integrated circuit (IC) used for controlling devices usually via a microprocessing unit, memory, and other peripherals. According to AllAboutCircuits, "these devices are optimized for embedded applications that require both processing functionality and agile, responsive interaction with digital, analog, or electromechanical components."

Roth also shared a video comparing a normal ‌AirTag‌ to his modified device.


How the hack might be exploited in the wild is unclear at this time, but the fact that it can be done may open up avenues for the jailbreaking community to customize the device in ways Apple didn't intend. On a darker note, it could also present opportunities for bad actors to modify the ‌AirTag‌ software for the purposes of phishing and more.

That's assuming Apple isn't able to remotely block such a modified ‌AirTag‌ from communicating with the ‌Find My‌ network. Alternately, Apple might be able to lock down the firmware in a future ‌AirTag‌ software update. Watch this space.

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

'New' iPhone SE Product Listing Appears on French Website

Wednesday February 12, 2025 6:49 am PST by
As the wait continues for Apple's long-rumored, fourth-generation iPhone SE, French electronics retailer Boulanger has prematurely published a product listing for a "new" model of the iPhone SE. The placeholder page says the device is "coming soon," but it offers no further information, and the price shown is obviously not real. The listing was spotted by a reader of the French technology...
M4 Mac mini Apple Video

Apple's Refurbished Mac Mini Pricing Has a Problem

Thursday February 13, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple this week began selling refurbished Mac mini models with the M4 chip for the first time, but this has led to a pricing conundrum. In the United States, Apple is offering a refurbished Mac mini with the base M4 chip, 256GB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and Gigabit Ethernet for $509, down from $599 new. This is the standard 15% discount that Apple offers on refurbished Macs. The issue is...
iPhone 16 Apple Store

iPhone 17 in New Sizes This Year: What to Know

Thursday February 13, 2025 2:45 am PST by
Last year, Apple tweaked iPhone 16 Pro screen sizes to make them bigger than 2023's iPhone 15 Pro models, and this year we are also expecting a change in the size of the displays in the iPhone 17 lineup. Here's what we know. Standard iPhone 17 Apple could introduce a new display size for the standard iPhone 17 model in 2025. The iPhone 17 could measure in at 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches,...
iphone air concept weis

iPhone 17 Air Could Look Like This in Real Life

Friday February 14, 2025 3:41 am PST by
There have been several alleged leaked details of the iPhone 17 Air, Apple's rumored new slim iPhone, but images have been limited to grainy shots taken in component factories. However, this hyper-realistic concept created by WEIS Studio gives us the best idea yet of what Apple's thin device might actually look like. The concept design is inspired by recent leaks indicating that the device...

Top Rated Comments

krewger Avatar
49 months ago
So…. It’s been hacked to be a customizable nfc tag. Looks like a lot of trouble to go through. I could also just put new nfc tags inside the AirTag’s case and accomplish the same thing. Security on your personal device is already in place - the link is displayed on the phone asking if you want to open it first before visiting the URL. https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/nfc-tag.htm
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Puonti Avatar
49 months ago

The AirTag does not carry other data than its own position.
I don't believe this is accurate. As I understand it:

An AirTag does not know where it is. All it does for location tracking is transmit radio waves. Devices that do know where they are can detect the AirTag, and then tell the FindMy network "I am at this location, and hey there's an AirTag here".
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jumpinbeans Avatar
49 months ago
Basically if you find an airtag and don't know why its there or who it belongs to and its not worth scanning as it may be compromised - smash it :)
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
szw-mapple fan Avatar
49 months ago

So if you lose your AirTag and then find it after one day for example, you cannot trust it anymore? Or if you find someones AirTag should you be also wary of placing it near your own phone? This gets interesting.
This won't apply to the vast vast majority of users. It's a security exercise that's just to prove it's possible. People who needs to be worried about this type of exploits won't be using any trackers of this type anyways.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unregistered 4U Avatar
49 months ago
Next up from security researchers
“SWALLOWING AIRTAGS COULD COMPROMISE YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM… WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW”
or
“if you glue your house key to your airtag and then lose it, AIRTAGS COULD ALLOW SOMEONE ENTRY INTO YOUR HOUSE!”
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tomekwsrod Avatar
49 months ago
So if you lose your AirTag and then find it after one day for example, you cannot trust it anymore? Or if you find someones AirTag should you be also wary of placing it near your own phone? This gets interesting.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)