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Topics: Technology
Gerrard Kaonga
Many of us probably leave Bluetooth switched on on our phones and think nothing of it, but experts have warned that we're exposing ourselves to hackers.
Bluetooth may be a handy way to connect to speakers, link up fitness devices with your phone or hotspot on your laptop in a fix, but techies reckon it has some major security weaknesses.
Bluetooth is a very short-range Wi-Fi technology which allows devices to essentially talk to each other if they are close.
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This is pretty good for wireless devices which can ‘pair’ with one another and exchange information.
However, the history of Bluetooth is filled with experts warning about the security risks it poses.
In 2019, the hacker convention DEF CON showed just how the lax security surrounding Bluetooth could be.
During the convention, researchers showed how vulnerable digital speakers could be controlled and forced to play sonic noises that can lead to hearing loss to anyone nearby.
"Bluetooth is something that can be hacked. It's fairly easy and we should be aware of it," Matt Lourens, a security engineering manager with Checkpoint software has also previously said.
Jovi Umawing, a researcher with Malwarebytes Labs has also warned: "When it comes to sharing potentially sensitive data with someone else, Bluetooth isn't the best technology that truly guarantees a safe and secure exchange.
"You're better off using other more secure methods of sharing data."
Beyond on this, experts have also warned of other risks that can come about from the use of the short-range Wi-Fi tech.
Researchers Daniele Antonioli, Nils Ole Tippenhauer and Kasper Rasmussen explained in a 2019 paper that ‘[an] attacker is able to the listen in on, or change the content of, nearby Bluetooth communication, even between devices that have previously been successfully paired'.
This includes the ability for hackers to take control and manipulate data which can be transferred across the wireless transmission.
However, Lourens also cautioned against hysteria when using Bluetooth and phones in general. He said it's more important to know the risks and make informed decisions.
"If you really want to be safe, turn off the internet, stop using your cell phone, don't drive anymore....you get what I'm saying?” he added.
"You will always have a level of risk. Just be aware of it and change your behavior."
So sure, be cautious about using having Bluetooth for long periods of time in public, but don’t whip yourself into a frenzy about it.
UNILAD has contacted Bluetooth Technology for comment.