Apple's Private Relay Isn't So Private After All
Your IP address can be leaked.
1Apple's Private Relay Feature
Apple's iCloud Private Relay feature aims to obscure your web traffic, preventing advertisers, malicious governments, or attackers from tracing it back to you. However, this mechanism isn't as private as Apple claims. Security researchers at software company Mysk discovered that even with iCloud Private Relay active, the IP address of the device or home network can be transmitted.
2How It Works
iCloud Private Relay is designed for paid customers of Apple's iCloud Plus service. It routes web traffic through proxy servers, hiding your IP address and the website you're visiting. This ensures neither the site nor Apple can see this information. However, this feature operates within Apple's WebKit framework and is not a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
3Researchers' Findings
Mysk researchers Talal Hak Bakry and Tommy Mysk set up a website to check if your connection is vulnerable. Tests conducted with an iPhone 17 Pro and MacBook Pro correctly identified the IP address of the home internet router. The researchers chose to disclose the vulnerability publicly rather than reporting it to Apple first.
4Apple's Response
Based on past experiences with Apple, the researchers stated that reporting this issue would lead to months of delays and inconsistent communication. Apple's representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This situation highlights Apple's challenges in fulfilling its privacy promises.
5Passkeys Issue
Another problem is related to passkeys, a method more secure and user-friendly than usernames and passwords. WebKit bypasses the Private Relay proxy and sends requested information directly from the device. This allows the destination server to see the device's real IP address.
6DNS Prefetching Vulnerability
DNS prefetching is a method for websites to request data before it's needed to speed up the connection. This process occurs separately from the relay mechanism, so data is passed directly from your network to the website. However, a site must include the code in its HTML to trigger it.
7WebTransport Vulnerability
A third vulnerability involves WebTransport, a low-latency method where WebKit opens a direct connection bypassing the private relay and sends the user's real IP address. This significantly weakens privacy guarantees.
8Apple's Privacy Issues
Apple's security also took a hit recently due to a bug in the iCloud Hide My Email feature, which exposed users' real email addresses. This feature is now the focus of a lawsuit accusing Apple of false advertising, fraud, and breach of contract. This raises questions about Apple's privacy promises.
Original article: CNET — Apple'ın Private Relay'i Gizliliği Sağlamıyor