Can iPhones really have their banking data stolen via Airdrop?

This is an alarming rumor that came from TikTok. Last week, on the Chinese application, several content creators spread the information that an iOS update made iPhones vulnerable to data theft.

As reported by the specialist site AppleInsider, several videos have accumulated millions of views explaining how it was possible to compromise the security of Apple's famous smartphone since the deployment of update 18.1 of its operating system this autumn.

One of the videos, posted on December 5 by @the_journey76 and seen by more than a million people, suggests that this flaw would allow anyone to steal bank cards and loyalty cards stored in the application Wallet via the AirDrop wireless file sharing function simply by being near an iPhone.

Some theories do not stand up to the test of facts for long

Another sequence shared by a TikTok member followed by tens of thousands of people recommends deactivating a non-existent feature called “Search with other iPhones”. Some users claim to have completely disabled the functions of their iPhone, making it almost unusable.
However, these theories do not stand up to the test of facts for long. In reality, AirDrop cannot be used to transfer credit card information to another person. This feature launched in 2011 uses both Bluetooth and WiFi to exchange documents without a wired connection between two nearby Apple devices. It allows the sending of photos, videos, documents and other elements from one iPhone to another, such as business cards, since the iOS 18 update, but in case of exchanging information taken from bank cards . And even less without having given authorization.

Every transaction requires strong authentication

In the iPhone settings, you can choose between three options: sharing with known contacts (saved in contacts), sharing with no person or sharing with anyone. But this last option is automatically deactivated after ten minutes to prevent users from receiving unsolicited images in public spaces.

Bank card management by Apple is done through the Wallet application, the iPhone's digital wallet. The technology group has implemented numerous limitations to ensure the security of its customers' banking information. Information stored in the iPhone is encrypted, as are communications between Apple and the bank issuing the document. Only the last four digits of the card numbers are visible in the application.
Every transaction requires strong authentication via facial recognition, fingerprint or device passcode. And when paying with Apple Pay, establishments do not recover the numbers of the card that is registered but a security code associated with the dynamic account specific to the transaction.

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