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Can your phone be rigged to explode?
This past week, a frenzy of small explosions rocked Lebanon, causing thousands of injuries and killing at least 25 people. The cause? Thousands of Apollo AR924 pagers and ICOM walkie-talkies blew up in the hands of members of Hezbollah leaders and their families.
The attacks were coordinated and calculated, and they spooked the world. They left us wondering, “Could my smartphone [or another device] blow up in my pocket, too?”
Old-school tech, weaponized
Although what happened in Lebanon is still under investigation, it appears the devices that blew up were packed with explosives before they reached their intended Hezbollah targets. That makes a lot of sense since messing with devices during the manufacturing process would be easier than trying to manipulate them after they’ve been handed out.
Word on the street is that Israel manufactured these devices through shell companies, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
Original theories about a cyberattack causing the device batteries to overheat and explode have also been ruled out. Looking at the footage of the blasts, they’re inconsistent with battery fires or battery explosions.
Why were they using pagers and walkie-talkies in the first place? Israeli hackers have stepped up their game, and Hezbollah took their digital communications old-school to avoid detection.
One smart smartphone
In a modern smartphone, there’s not much space to pack in explosives. Making room would mean removing enough functionality to tip off the person using it. There’s much more room inside a pager, though. The outdated ICOM walkie-talkies that blew up had plenty of space for explosives, too.
Another reason your phone is safer: Smartphone production lines at companies like Apple and Google run under super-strict security measures. They want to ensure what you get works the way it should — and, of course, protect their valuable trade secrets.
Tampering is possible, sure, but it’d have to be an elaborate scheme to pull off undetected for millions and millions of devices.
Listen: I have a few more details about this in my “Daily Tech Update” podcast.
Phone it in
It’s good to know our smartphones, which most of us carry around all day long, are unlikely targets. But there are still things you may be doing incorrectly.
- Overheating batteries: Lithium-ion batteries in smartphones, laptops and other gadgets can overheat and catch fire if damaged or exposed to extreme heat. Using high-quality chargers and avoiding direct sunlight or heat exposure can help. A good thermal protection case also will reduce this risk.
- Cheap charging cables: Knockoff or low-quality charging cables can cause electrical shorts or overloads, potentially damaging your device or, at the very least, causing it to overheat. Only use certified cables.
- Excessive charging: Constantly overcharging your device or leaving it plugged in after it’s fully charged can strain the battery, leading to overheating and potential failure over time.
- Physical damage: Dropping your phone or damaging its internal components can cause issues like battery punctures, which may lead to overheating or even explosions. Again, you need a great case for your phone.
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Tags: Apple, battery, devices, Google, hackers, lithium-ion batteries, podcasts, scheme, security, space
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