A new development by Italian scientists could radically change the way we think about privacy. Researchers from Rome's La Sapienza University have created WhoFi technology, which allows people to be identified and tracked using only Wi-Fi signals — without the use of smartphones, cameras, or other devices.
How it works
Each person has a unique “body fingerprint”—the way their body affects the propagation of Wi-Fi radio waves. This effect is so distinctive that the system can be “trained” to recognize a specific person when they re-enter a room—even if they have changed clothes or moved to another room.
WhoFi technology uses a neural network and analysis of signal changes between two regular Wi-Fi routers. Tests were conducted on 14 people and the identification accuracy reached 95.5%, which is already significantly higher than previous experiments (about 75%).
What does this threaten?
Although WhoFi is still an experimental prototype, the potential use cases are worrying:
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In commerce, a store can “recognize” a visitor and send personalized offers;
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In special operations, services can track a person's movements without their knowledge;
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In suppressing protests, it is possible to identify participants in the protests without any video surveillance;
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In residential buildings, attackers can monitor the presence of people behind the walls.
The technology can “see” through walls, is independent of lighting, and requires no human intervention. All it takes is two regular Wi-Fi routers.
Not proof yet, but a tool
WhoFi is not yet a source of forensic evidence, but it is effective enough for operational surveillance. And although it is still just a research project, security experts are already warning that such technologies could become a tool for mass surveillance if not regulated at the legislative level.
