BlueBorne

BlueBorne is a family of vulnerabilities that affects Bluetooth-using PCs and other devices, including multiple operating systems and both phones and many kinds of IoT products. Through exploiting them, an attacker may monitor to tamper with network traffic or create a backdoor for controlling the infected device. Users should install patches for closing all BlueBorne vulnerabilities and depend on reliable anti-malware solutions for removing any threats that they deliver.

The Tooth that Bites Down Hardest

Bluetooth is a boon for anyone who owns a wireless headset, wireless speakers, or other, network-communicating devices that don't require higher USB bandwidth. Like so many technological gifts, though, it also is a discovery that can turn treacherous for those who don't use it cautiously. BlueBorne, widely analyzed by the same cyber-security company that also is responsible for in-depth reporting on the URGENT/11 bugs, is a set of vulnerabilities that weaponize Bluetooth for crimes.

Unlike URGENT/11, which is specific to a limited set of OS architecture, BlueBorne works for most OSes with Bluetooth support, including Android, Apple OSes, like OS X or macOS, Android, Linux, and Windows. It consists of multiple vulnerabilities that can impact IoT (Internet-of-Things) devices, as well as phones and computers. The initial publication of BlueBorne's various bugs came in 2017.

Bugs falling under BlueBorne's umbrella include logical flaws, information leaks, and kernel-handling issues like CVE-2017-1000251 for Linux. A competent attacker can use these vulnerabilities for varied purposes, although malware experts highlight the possible redirecting of network traffic on the device (for instance, to an unsafe tactic page) or the creation of a backdoor for achieving total control particularly. The degree of privilege access available to Bluetooth makes the latter more straightforward than usual for attackers.

Don't Let Bugs Paint Your Phone Blue

Although it has other applicable, the potential device-to-device nature of BlueBorne's vulnerabilities could give attackers a streamlined path towards compromising a network. Traditional network analysis tools and safeguards like strong passwords are likely to be inadequate protection against attacks using BlueBorne's bugs. Besides that issue, the OS flexibility means that BlueBorne can affect numerous devices while giving attackers the freedom they need for collecting information, interfering with tactic surfers' content, and exerting general control over a system.

The publication of BlueBorne's vulnerabilities coincided with simultaneous security patches from both Microsoft and Google for eliminating the related bugs. Users always can check for updates to close off these security issues entirely before a remote attacker might exploit them. Like most groups of built-in software vulnerabilities, using BlueBorne leaves little evidence or symptoms for victims.

Besides installing any patches, users should reaffirm their commitment to appropriate security habits like maintaining 2FA and remote backups. Anti-malware programs can combat any payloads arriving through BlueBorne and, hopefully, quarantine or delete them at the first delivery phase.

BlueBorne can offer a roadmap towards Man-in-the-Middle attacks against your browser or the remote execution of arbitrary code. The convenience of technology, smartphones, and the tactic of IoT devices comes at a price, and users who neglect their safety can end up paying the cost as infections from BlueBorne.