Every time you connect to another device using Bluetooth, there is a vulnerability that hackers can use in order to spy on the communications that are occurring between these two devices. This is something that needs to be taken very seriously because of the fact that it could potentially lead to a new wave of cyber attacks, and if there is one thing that people using the internet of things have learned over the past few years it’s that you are never as safe from a cyber hackers as you think you are.
This vulnerability is important to understand, but first you must understand is that the connection via Bluetooth between two devices is usually quite secure and fairly well encrypted to boot. However, if a hacker is able to interrupt the connection process and replace the normally thoroughly encrypted Bluetooth connection with a different, weaker connection then it would become quite easy for them to intercept communications between these two devices.
However, you shouldn’t worry about this too much. The fact of the matter is that the hacker will have to be physically close to you in order to interrupt the connection between the two Bluetooth devices, and there is also the fact that said hacker will have a very short period of time in which they can interrupt and replace the connection thereby giving them the chance to intercept communications between the two devices.
Another thing that you should bear in mind is that this vulnerability is only present within devices that have a dedicated Bluetooth function, not devices that are used for multiple purposes with Bluetooth being just one of the many purposes that you can use said device for. If you are using Bluetooth on a multipurpose device then you are probably going to be fine, it’s the Bluetooth headsets and other dedicated hardware that is under threat of cyber attack.
Photo: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Read next: Google Play Store’s new policy is meant to secure its users from malicious apps
This vulnerability is important to understand, but first you must understand is that the connection via Bluetooth between two devices is usually quite secure and fairly well encrypted to boot. However, if a hacker is able to interrupt the connection process and replace the normally thoroughly encrypted Bluetooth connection with a different, weaker connection then it would become quite easy for them to intercept communications between these two devices.
However, you shouldn’t worry about this too much. The fact of the matter is that the hacker will have to be physically close to you in order to interrupt the connection between the two Bluetooth devices, and there is also the fact that said hacker will have a very short period of time in which they can interrupt and replace the connection thereby giving them the chance to intercept communications between the two devices.
Another thing that you should bear in mind is that this vulnerability is only present within devices that have a dedicated Bluetooth function, not devices that are used for multiple purposes with Bluetooth being just one of the many purposes that you can use said device for. If you are using Bluetooth on a multipurpose device then you are probably going to be fine, it’s the Bluetooth headsets and other dedicated hardware that is under threat of cyber attack.
Photo: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Read next: Google Play Store’s new policy is meant to secure its users from malicious apps
