The Adidas soccer ball Russian President Vladimir Putin gave to President Trump at their summit in Finland appears to contain a chip that can transmit information to nearby cell phones, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
The publication noted that photos of the ball show a logo for a near-field communication (NFC) tag, a chip that is included in the Adidas 2018 FIFA World Cup ball. Russia hosted this year’s World Cup.
Adidas AG soccer balls, similar to the one Putin presented to Trump during a joint press conference last week, contain a small chip that can send content to mobile devices. Users can hold their phones close to the ball to access videos and competitions, according to Bloomberg.
Adidas declined to comment to Bloomberg on whether the device could be used in a Russian cyberattack. The brand’s website states that the chip can’t be modified.
The publication reported that such a chip has been used at least one to breach a phone, though a cybersecurity expert told Bloomberg that it’s unlikely that a cyberattack could be launched using the device.
The soccer ball underwent a security screening as part of the routine procedure for all gifts given to the president, the U.S. Secret Service said last week.
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Soccer ball Putin gave Trump contains chip that can transmit data to cell phones: report https://t.co/KcobUjqkTa pic.twitter.com/DDCJaIEWTb
— The Hill (@thehill) July 25, 2018
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