Seattle's KING5 news reports that students at University of Washington have discovered that the NIKE + iPod Sport Kit, which allows runners and walkers to track and share their workout data using their iPod and accompanying software, poses a security risk.

Specifically, because the transmissions of the sensor to the iPod are unencrypted, a specially-constructed receiver can pick up signals from the transmitter and can theoretically track the transmitter's location.

FreeiPodGuy says this is a bunch of hooey, for these reasons:

1. The receiver required to get the signals is a custom device that no one except a couple of U-Dub students know how to build.

2. According to the story, the transmitter can detect only those signals within 10-60 feet. (You couldn't create a device to track everywhere it goes; you can only learn when a transmitter passes very close to a pre-placed covert receiver.)

So, unless you are dating one of the students who came up with this idea, and that student is himself a stalker, you probably don't have anything to worry about.

Having said that, "NIKE + Apple" should fix this security issue out of principle, if for no other reason than to ensure consumers' confidence in them.