Hackers Can Attack Phones via Bluetooth Earbuds and Headphones
If you're even vaguely paranoid about someone listening in on your conversations, you might be a little anxious about that phone sitting in your pocket going forward—if you use Bluetooth. A recent discovery has revealed that your Bluetooth earbuds and headphones are more vulnerable to attack than you thought.
Security Flaws in Bluetooth Hardware
Security researchers at ERNW presented vulnerabilities in widely used Bluetooth hardware, finding three crucial weaknesses and creating a proof-of-concept exploit. The implementation wasn't all that sinister—just "reading" what media was currently playing—but the three bugs, one of which was rated as a "high severity issue," could be expanded far beyond snooping on your racy audiobooks.
The affected Bluetooth headphone, speaker, and microphone hardware is used by at least 29 devices from brands like Bose, Sony, Jabra, JLab, Marshall, and JBL, among others. Notable popular models include the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, Sony's WF and WH headphone series, and Marshall's Woburn and Stanmore speakers.
A Threat Beyond Snooping
While it may seem like a minor concern at first, these vulnerabilities could be used to execute calls to specific phone numbers, scrape contacts or call history, or in the most extreme cases, execute code remotely and fully compromise a connected smartphone. This is not just a matter of someone listening in on your conversations; it's a serious security threat.
A Targeted Attack: The More Likely Scenario
According to BleepingComputer, there is no indication that these problems are actively being exploited "in the wild." Furthermore, an attacker would need to get physically close to you while you're using affected Bluetooth hardware to do anything with it. While a hacker could theoretically hang out in Times Square and try to drop malicious code on strangers' smartphones, this scenario seems highly unlikely.
A more likely scenario is a targeted attack on a specific, high-level individual, which is generally the purview of state-sponsored hacking campaigns. If you've never clapped eyes on anything with "TOP SECRET" in the header, you probably don't have too much to worry about here.
A Patch in Sight?
The affected companies were alerted to the vulnerabilities in May, and according to one German publication, some (less than half) have already patched firmware for affected devices. While this is a step in the right direction, it's essential to note that not all users may receive these patches immediately.
A Word of Caution
If you're concerned about your Bluetooth earbuds and headphones, there are steps you can take. Make sure to check with your device manufacturer to see if they have issued a patch or update for your specific model. In the meantime, be cautious when using public Wi-Fi or connecting to unknown devices via Bluetooth.
About the Author
Michael Crider is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours.