Readers may remember small tempest created when the consolidated.db (later renamed) file was discovered in Apple’s iOS tracking the phones location information. As it turns out, much the way the consolidated.db file tracked the location of WiFi access points and mobile towers around the iPhone, there is a similar file included as part of OS X Mavericks and other recent versions of OS X. Hidden deep in /private/var/folders lies the file cache_encryptedA.db. Tucked away with, an often empty, consolidated.db and other files, cache_encryptedA.db tracks information about WiFi access points located around the Mac as it moves around. Data includes: WiFi Access Point (WAP) MAC Address Latitude and Longitude Time Stamp Data WiFi Channel Information Assuming Location Services is turned on and used (by the Maps app for example) the database should look something like this: The WiFi access points found in the database don’t ne...
