Security Flaws in Tile Trackers Could Enable Stalking — What You Need to Know

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have reported serious security flaws in Tile Bluetooth trackers that could allow third parties — and potentially Tile’s parent company Life360 — to track users’ locations. The issue stems from how Tile devices broadcast identifying data.

What the researchers found

• Tile devices broadcast unencrypted data including a static MAC address and a rotating ID. The MAC address does not change, making persistent fingerprinting possible.
• The rotating ID generation is predictable, so observing past IDs can allow an attacker to predict future ones.
• Because this data is transmitted in cleartext, anyone with a Bluetooth scanner can intercept it — enabling stalking or even framing an innocent Tile owner by making it look like a tag is constantly near someone else.

Timeline & vendor response

The researchers say they contacted Life360 in November 2024 to report the findings. According to reporting, communications stopped in February and Life360 has said it made unspecified security improvements but hasn’t publicly addressed the protocol-level issues.

Why this matters

Beyond targeted stalking, the findings raise a risk of systemic surveillance: a single recorded message from a device can fingerprint it for its lifetime. That means attackers only need one capture to track a device long-term.

What you can do now

• Update Tile apps and firmware when updates are available.
• Use Tile’s “Scan and Secure” feature if you have the app and are concerned about unknown Tiles nearby.
• Turn off Bluetooth when you don’t need it, and consider removing Tile tags from items you carry in public if you’re concerned.
• Consider alternatives with stronger privacy protections if this is a major concern.

Further reading

Reporting on this issue: 9to5Mac coverage and Tom’s Hardware coverage.

Buy or compare Tile trackers: Tile trackers on Amazon.

Sources: reporting summarized from public coverage of Georgia Tech research into Tile protocol security.