02 Mar Protect Your Bluetooth Device from Hackers
Did you know a cybercriminal can gain access to your phone without touching it? When Bluetooth is activated on your phone, a malicious individual can connect to it, run a code and gain full control of it, ultimately viewing keys and passwords. Nearly every connected device out there has Bluetooth capability. Bluetooth allows our gadgets to effortlessly connect and communicate with others, and hackers can take advantage of Bluetooth technology. Additionally, a Bluetooth attack can allow access to computers, speakers, car entertainment systems and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
In most cases, malware depends on people clicking on a link they shouldn’t have. With Bluetooth, all a hacker needs to spread malware is for their victim’s device to have Bluetooth enabled. It can spread without the victim doing anything and the attack is invisible.
Fortunately, remote hacking poses a relatively small risk today, thanks to firmware updates deployed by technology vendors. Even so, mobile security is an ongoing concern especially when considering the amount of personal and financial information stored on most devices.
Decrease your chances of becoming a victim by following these tips:
- Disable your device’s “discoverable” setting to protect it from unsolicited spam messages sent to phones with Bluetooth turned on.
- Require Bluetooth devices to authenticate — via a PIN — and use encryption while transferring information from one device to another.
- Never blindly hit the “accept” button when the device receives a file, since it might be a virus or Trojan code.
- Never “jailbreak” or “root” a mobile device. Malware can infiltrate if the user has manipulated the device’s factory-installed operating system.
- Disable automatic connections to open Wi-Fi and only connect to trusted networks.
- Educate users about security. Create security policiescovering the acceptable use of any device used to store or access confidential information.
- Regularly download and install security updates. Device manufacturers will release updates to address threats and correct weaknesses.
Attacks against improperly secured Bluetooth implementations can provide attackers with unauthorized access to sensitive information and unauthorized use of Bluetooth devices and other systems or networks to which the devices are connected. Learn more at Bluetooth.com or see your cellphone manufacturer’s website for more advice.
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