A new type of vulnerability has been found in Bluetooth. Users who keep their connection active for too long can be hacked if this malware manages to sneak in. The attacker can take control of one’s device from as far as 32-feet away. According to experts from Armis Security, Millions of devices are open to a remote attack. ValueWalk reported that Armis Security has found eight vulnerabilities.
Everything you need to know
The malware is called, “Blueborne,” and is typically introduced through the Bluetooth connection by exploiting its weak security, the Verge reported.
Users won’t even be aware of it and hackers will be able to swipe off personal details. The devices aren’t required to be paired. They just need to be in the “Bluetooth activated” mode.
Apple addressed this issue in its iOS 10 software update so those devices that run on IOS 10 or above, are protected from the attack. Microsoft also took care of it in its July Security Patch. This leaves Android, who is currently in a state of vulnerability. Despite Google releasing consistent monthly security updates, they haven’t been able to fix this issue. The search giant claims that they have already sent the fix to manufacturers. It is upon them now, to decide when their devices will receive this important update.
Google’s proprietary smartphones, Pixel and Pixel XL are immune to the attack.
The demonstration of the attack
According to a report by Tech Radar, Armis Security was able to perform a demonstration of the attack on a Pixel smartphone before Google released the patch. It appears that this issue has been taken care of in the latest Android Oreo update.
Since companies are still working on getting it onboard for their smartphones, it might take longer than expected to become safeguarded against “Blueborne.”
“Blueborne” qualifies as one of the most dangerous types of attacks. The main reason for this is that users won’t even be aware that their systems are being hacked. They don’t need to pair it with anything.
It’s the best way of entering a device without being detected. It won’t even cost hackers a lot. It’s a “clickless” form of attack. Therefore, it is more likely that hackers will try it out. There haven’t been any (reported) cases yet that indicate a device has been hacked via Bluetooth. Additional details regarding this matter will show up everywhere soon. Stay tuned for more news and updates on technology.
