Your Smartphone Could be Hacked When Bluetooth is On. Here’s What You Should Know

Hackers are everywhere! That’s true and they got very creative in their ways to hack or steal from you.

Like, did you know that when you’ve got your Bluetooth turned on, your phone is actually an open market for hackers to penetrate? Crazy right?

But it’s true. What’s scarier is you have no idea that you are already being hacked until it’s done

How Does Bluetooth Work?

Bluetooth was devised to bring gadgets and people closer together, to cut the umbilical cord tyranny of cables and wires that string across our desktops.

In other words, you switch on the Bluetooth function on your phone, and you can use the wireless tech to transfer files or share your Internet connectivity (among other things!) to nearby devices.

So think about it for a second – your smartphone can get linked to another PC, laptop, tablet, iPad, or yet another smartphone or Bluetooth device. Anything that runs on Bluetooth will work.

Different Kinds of Bluetooth Attacks

It’s a surprise too that there are different kinds of Bluetooth attacks and here are the most popular ones in our modern times:

• Bluesnarfing: It’s the most advanced and dangerous Bluetooth attack since it can penetrate devices even when they are set to non-discoverable. If it carried out successfully, it can copy personal and sensitive information and files on your device such as messages, photos, call logs, and even passwords. What’s scarier than that?
• Bluebugging: The kind of Bluetooth attack for snoopers. With this, hackers can eavesdrop on your phone conversation (just a gentle warning to those who use Bluetooth headsets). It can as well monitor your browsing activities, messages, and emails.
• Bluejacking: This one is the least dangerous but most common Bluetooth attack. Originally designed for distributing harmless pranks and can only be used to send spam messages to the victim.

How to Protect Your Phone from These Attacks?

Luckily, the ways to prevent Bluetooth attacks are pretty simple. Just a simple change of habits.

The easiest way is to keep your Bluetooth switched off, and only turn it on when you really, REALLY need to use it.

Another thing to consider is turning your Bluetooth visibility to Not Discoverable. Additionally, always be careful when pairing and check first before you accept a pairing request.

Featured Image: wonderhowto.com