Apple unveiled on Monday its long-awaited and costly mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro. The grand reveal showcased futuristic technology, leaving many in awe but raised an important question: Is this headset a revolution in computing or a potential privacy nightmare?
Apple’s groundbreaking Vision Pro headset marks a significant milestone in the realm of personal computing, bringing spatial computing to the forefront. With its lightweight, translucent design, the headset seamlessly integrates the Mac computing experience. Powered by the innovative visionOS operating system, it offers an intuitive interface through eye tracking, gestures, and advanced AI-driven voice commands, making interactions effortless and immersive.
The device’s pro-level specs, a ton of sensors, M2 chip, and the EyeSight technology are promising on paper – but are they private and secured?
Apple Vision Pro Headset highlights
Based on the video footage we’ve seen of Vision Pro, Apple’s new headset seems like it takes the experience we’re used to on iPhones, iPads and Macs, blows it up and quite literally puts it at our fingertips.
Users of the Vision Pro headset can effortlessly navigate and select content using eye movements, perform actions like clicking by tapping their fingers together, and scroll with a gentle flick. This advanced functionality is complemented by a three-dimensional camera and microphone system, enabling users to capture immersive videos and pictures for later viewing in 3D.
One of the standout features of the Vision Pro headset is its exterior display, setting it apart from competitors’ headsets. This display allows people in the surrounding environment to see the user’s eyes, creating a visually striking difference.
Exploring the technology
The forward imaging cameras serve multiple purposes, including video calling, taking photos, and recording videos. This versatility allows users to engage in video communication seamlessly and capture memorable moments with ease.
An exciting feature of the Vision Pro headset is its special software integrated into the camera system. This software enables users to capture video images of themselves, creating authentic representations that can be utilized during video calls. This adds a personal touch to virtual interactions, enhancing the overall immersive experience for users.
Besides this, to ensure secure authentication and convenient access, the Vision Pro headset employs Optic ID, a technology that utilizes the user’s iris for user verification and device unlocking. Another noteworthy announcement is the inclusion of VPN capability in the TVOS 17.0 beta.
Animated avatars and privacy
Apple’s much-awaited WWDC event unveiled a groundbreaking technology that has the potential with far-reaching implications. The 3D cameras are nifty, but their movement tracking is what raises privacy questions. Of course, more sensors and cameras simply mean more data points.
Apple’s Vision Pro allows users to get real-time animated avatars, allowing the avatar to reflect their expressions, smiling, winking, or raising an eyebrow in real time. Not only this, it incorporates a powerful eye tracking system consisting of LEDs and infrared cameras. This advanced technology projects invisible light patterns onto each eye, enabling ultra-precise input.
And these animated aviators are well known to compromise privacy, according to Wired. The data extracted from these avatars goes beyond just the facial image, delving into much more detailed and personal information. There are notable privacy concerns associated with hand and eye-tracking data.
This type of biometric data discloses a significant amount of personal information about an individual. According to a research study, it is possible to accurately identify individuals based on the raw image data collected by VR headsets.
Voice data and privacy
The disclosure of voice data can divulge extensive personal information about an individual. A notable study conducted by researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in 2021 exposed significant privacy risks associated with voice command functionalities found in VR headsets, such as the Apple Vision Pro headset.
Voice-related cybersecurity vulnerabilities are especially prevalent in VR systems due to the combination of live human speech and facial dynamics within the virtual environment. The collection of voice data through the Apple Vision Pro headset occurs through two distinct methods.
- Voice data is generated during user interactions and conversations with other users.
- Users have the option to employ voice commands to execute specific actions performed by the headset.
A concerning revelation from the Rutgers University study is that VR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro, which offer voice dictation capabilities for various tasks, can easily be exploited by malicious individuals. These actors can extract speech content, encompassing highly sensitive information that should solely be accessible to the user, such as phone numbers, PIN numbers, passwords, and financial details.
Comparing Quest 3 vs Quest Pro, it becomes evident that privacy features and data protection mechanisms will play a pivotal role in shaping user trust and adoption of these advanced VR devices.
Read more about how voice data is manipulated by hackers, resulting in a threat to privacy and security. Voice phishing has become the next big thing for cybercriminals.
Virtual vigilances and vulnerabilities
Can the Apple Vision Pro be hacked?
Like every Apple product and service, Vision Pro is designed to protect privacy and keep users in control of their data. It builds on the foundation of existing Apple privacy and security features with new technologies like Optic ID, a secure authentication system that uses the uniqueness of the user’s iris.
However, LSU researchers have demonstrated that VR devices, including the Apple Vision Pro, are susceptible to external tampering, just like any other technological device.
Remarkably, in 2022, ReasonLabs, a cybersecurity company, uncovered a cyber attack known as “Big Brother.” This sophisticated attack has the capability to clandestinely record VR headset screens. The specific malware employed in the Big Brother attack initially infiltrates a user’s computer and remains dormant until a VR headset connects to the same Wi-Fi network. At that point, the malware becomes active, enabling remote screen recording.
Additional security vulnerabilities to consider with the Apple Vision Pro
Exploitation of trust:
Social engineering, where cybercriminals manipulate users’ trust to extract sensitive information, becomes a significant concern in the VR realm. As VR heavily relies on personal interactions, criminals can exploit these interactions for their own malicious purposes.
Malware exposure:
Similar to any other tech device, the Apple Vision Pro is susceptible to malware. Certain VR applications may lead unsuspecting users to harmful content or even compromised servers, putting their security at risk.
Deepfake threat:
Motion-tracking data obtained from a VR headset proves valuable for creating convincing deepfake content. Unfortunately, deepfakes are frequently exploited for activities like revenge pornography, raising concerns about privacy and exploitation in the VR space.
Takeaway:
The world of virtual reality has certainly opened up countless possibilities for education, entertainment, and work. From playing incredible games to hosting virtual meetings with your international colleagues, the potential is very appealing.
However, when it comes to privacy, the risks are quite significant. The Vision Pro seems like an exciting, futuristic device in theory, but practicality raises some serious privacy and security concerns like voice phishing, social engineering, deepfake and malware.
