14 DAY TRIAL // BlueBorne is a new way of attacking and getting complete control of the desktop, mobile, and IoT platforms using a Bluetooth vulnerability.
Bluetooth is a communication and data exchanging standards that present in pretty much all of the today's devices. The total number is estimated at over eight billion, which means that there are a lot of targets out there ready to be hacked.
The vulnerability has been identified by a company named Armis Labs, which has detailed all the ways a user can be hacked, no matter the platform they are using. This means that it doesn’t really matter if you’re on a Windows, Linux, or Mac OS, not to mention all the mobile variants. Basically, if you have a Bluetooth, you’re exposed.
The best protection is updating the OS or closing the Bluetooth
The BlueBorne attack vector allows a hacker to remotely enter your operating system without the need to have it paired or even to be set on discoverable mode. In fact, it’s possible to gain control even if the device is paired with another one.
An attacker getting access to a phone means that all your info will be exposed, including photos, contacts, and pretty much anything else. What’s even worse is that the attack can be completely invisible, and it can happen while walking on the street.
It’s worth noting that the problem is known for a while now, and it has been patched on many operating systems. For example, Windows is technically protected since the patch has been issued on July 11, 2017.
For Linux devices, the CVE-2017-1000250 and CVE-2017-1000251 vulnerabilities have been patched as well. All iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices with iOS 9.3.5 and lower are affected, but if you upgraded to iOS 10 you don’t need to worry.
Patch your OS right now, if you can
The biggest problem with updates is that not everyone is willing to get them, some don’t know that they have to, and others choose not to upgrade their system. The most exposed users are the one with devices that don’t even receive regular security patches. It doesn’t really matter if the vulnerabilities were fixed if the hardware makers don’t even bother to keep them up to date.
In fact, people with older phones, tablets, or any other type of hardware that no longer receive security updates will be exposed. At the end of the day, even if users are willing and able to upgrade their systems, a lot more will be left open to attacks. In that case, it’s better to just close your Bluetooth if you’re not using it.
You can check all the technical details about the new attack vector BlueBorne on the Armis Labs official website. Also, an Android application named BlueBorne Vulnerability Scanner by Armis is available from the Google Play store.
Below you can see how a hacker gains access to the latest Google Pixel in a matter of minutes, in real-time.
