#Turn off the device Bluetooth
#Turn off the device series

But attacks like BlueBorne that affect individual implementations of Bluetooth are attracting attention as well. The importance of Bluetooth defense has become increasingly clear, and the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, which manages the standard, has focused on security (particularly cryptography upgrades) in recent versions. But even with the extensive and productive BlueBorne patching that has already happened, there are still likely plenty of vulnerable devices in any populated area or building. The attack can also spread from device to device once in motion, if other vulnerable Bluetooth-enabled targets are nearby.ДЄs with virtually all Bluetooth remote exploits, attackers would still need to be in range of the device (roughly 33 feet) to pull off a BlueBorne attack. BlueBorne bugs can allow attackers to take control of victim devices and access-even potentially steal-their data. The impacted devices don't need to connect to anything, and the attack can even work when the Bluetooth on the victim device is already paired to something else. Once an attacker identifies vulnerable targets, the hack is quick (it can happen in about 10 seconds) and flexible. So a BlueBorne attack starts by going through the process Webroot's Dufour describes-scanning for devices that have Bluetooth on and probing them for information such as device type and operating system to see if they have the relevant vulnerabilities. When Bluetooth is on in a device, it is constantly open to and waiting for potential connections. And if you use it 24/7 on your phone because of a peripheral like a smartwatch, you can at least turn it off on your other devices, especially any Bluetooth-enabled internet of things gear. Even if you lean on it all day at work, you can ditch it at a birthday dinner or when you're asleep. But you likely don't use Bluetooth most of the time. You might end up flipping the switch fairly often to use Bluetooth headphones. There might be some inconvenience when you bring your laptop to your desk and want it to connect to a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. So, yeah, turn off Bluetooth if you're not using it or if you're near anyone you don't trust. Windows, Android, Linux, and iOS have been vulnerable to BlueBorne in the past. The flaws aren't in the Bluetooth standard itself, but in its implementation in all sorts of software.

#Turn off the device series

That includes an attack called BlueBorne, announced this week by the security firm Armis, which would allow any affected device with Bluetooth turned on to be attacked through a series of vulnerabilities. Minimizing your Bluetooth usage minimizes your exposure to very real vulnerabilities. Whenever you don't absolutely need it, you should go ahead and turn it off. It's a calculated risk, and the benefits generally make it worthwhile. But there are lots of digital entrances that you leave open all the time, such as Wi-Fi and your cell connection. You intuitively know why you should bolt your doors when you leave the house and add some sort of authentication for your smartphone.