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Billions of Android, iOS, Windows and Linux devices that use Bluetooth may be exposed to a new attack that can be carried out remotely without any user interaction, researchers warned.
Armis Labs, a company that specializes in protecting Internet of Things (IoT) devices, has discovered a total of eight Bluetooth implementation vulnerabilities that expose mobile, desktop and IoT systems to an attack it has dubbed "BlueBorne."
According to the security firm, the attack only requires Bluetooth to be enabled on the targeted device – no pairing is needed between the victim and the attacker's device, and the Bluetooth connection does not even have to be discoverable.
A hacker who is in range of the targeted device can exploit one of the several Bluetooth implementation vulnerabilities that can lead to remote code execution, information disclosure or man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks. The attacker only needs to determine what type of operating system the target is using in order to deploy an exploit specific to that platform.
BlueBorne does not require the targeted user to click on a link or open a file, and the malicious activities can take place in the background, making it less likely for the victim to notice anything suspicious. And since the attack leverages Bluetooth, a less common attack vector, many security solutions may not detect the malicious activity, Armis said.
With all the smartphones out there whose manufacturers and carriers refuse to update them after a year or so, I can see this being a big, big problem.
Source: http://www.securityweek.com/billions-devices-potentially-exposed-new-bluetooth-attack
(Score: 3, Informative) by JNCF on Wednesday September 13 2017, @04:17AM (3 children)
TFA contradicts it:
I'm going with the more specific source being correct. Android phones that still get security updates have also been patched (albeit more recently).
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 13 2017, @06:41AM (1 child)
Which, sadly, is probably only around 60% of Android devices, if that. So we have two options: throw away still useful devices, contributing to the world's e-waste problem, or continue to use insecure devices and contribute to the "internet is a nasty place" problem.
<sarcasm>What a wonderful world unchecked corporatism has given us.</sarcasm>
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 13 2017, @07:45AM
There might be a 3rd option: root it and install something secure on it.
The insecure throwaway culture of today makes me sick.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 13 2017, @09:42AM
Original AC here. I agree with you. TechCrunch should have been much more specific and stated something like "up-to-date iOS devices".