FCC will investigate sketchy location tracking company
LocationSmart is now under investigation for allegedly leaking phone locations on its website.
Not even a full day after phone tracking firm LocationSmart reportedly leaked location data on its website, the FCC is getting involved. As originally reported by Reuters, the matter is being referred to the FCC's enforcement bureau. An FCC spokesperson confirmed this fact to Engadget via email.
A PhD candidate from Carnegie Mellon University first discovered the vulnerability and reported it to KrebsOnSecurity. LocationSmart has since secured the data, but it appears that isn't enough for the federal government. The location data of customers with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile were apparently easily available. Oregon Democratic senator Ron Wyden took to Twitter on Friday to urge the Commission to investigate. "A hacker could have used this site to know when you were in your house so they would know when to rob it," Wyden tweeted. "A predator could have tracked your child's cell phone to know when they were alone.
