Do you know that your Bluetooth devices are vulnerable to hacking? Yes, you heard it right, as, in 2019, iOs and Android users have received several major Bluetooth security alerts that also stated hackers can track user's mobile phones through Bluetooth connectivity which may cause serious data theft. Recently consumers and companies have been warned to keep an eye on the security features of their Bluetooth devices following an alert that these products could be hacked by cybercriminals.
Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) which oversees the development of Bluetooth standards and the licensing of the Bluetooth technologies and trademarks to manufacturers, revealed that they are raising awareness about the range of connectivity of the Bluetooth technology. The experts at SIG mentioned that apart from connecting devices such as smart speakers, earphones and computer accessories over a short distance, there are some Bluetooth devices that have a range of more than a kilometre which can be hacked by attackers.
As per SIG, the majority of long-range Bluetooth connections make the industrial devices vulnerable to attacks, along with large-scale sensor networks and drones. Here it should be mentioned that any connection could be subject to attack and cybercriminals might attempt to gain access by hijacking connected devices or the networks.
SIG's Martin Woolley said that in the whole world, "developers use Bluetooth to achieve wireless connections at distances of more than a kilometre, and these connections are the foundation of a new generation use cases like industrial asset tracking and large-scale sensor networks. "Bluetooth can do a lot more than given credit for, and, through innovation in consumer applications, it continues to enhance the lives of millions of people around the world. But, in some ways, its success created a narrow perception of its capabilities."
It was reported earlier that a small vulnerability in the home Wi-Fi network can give a criminal access to almost all the devices that are connected to the Wi-Fi. Later another report revealed that the hackers can take over DSLR cameras and infect them with ransomware.
