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How to tell if your Bluetooth is hacked
It can be very difficult to identify a Bluetooth attack as it happens, since the methods used by today's Bluetooth phone hackers are carefully designed to be unrecognizable. Bluetooth phone hacking is usually only discovered after the hack has taken place.
To recognize if you've fallen victim to a Bluetooth hack, you would employ the same methods used to identify other wireless security attacks. This includes:
- Using anti-malware tools to monitor for viruses, spyware, data breaches, and other security risks.
- Keeping an eye on your emails and online accounts for signs of unauthorized access or attempted logins from unknown devices and locations.
- Regularly checking your apps folders (and processes if you use Android) for items that you don't recognize or haven't installed.
- Monitoring your data usage. Bluetooth attacks will often send data back to attackers in the background, and you should be able to see your data usage increase. If it seems like your smartphone or tablet is sending or receiving a lot more data than usual, that may be a sign that a Bluetooth spying hack is present.
Types of Bluetooth attacks and possible security risk
Although Bluetooth is designed to be secure, it's certainly not an unbreakable protocol, and a number of different types of Bluetooth attacks have been discovered over the years. Some of the biggest Bluetooth hacks of modern times include:
- Bluesnarfing: This is one of the most dangerous Bluetooth attacks discovered by security researchers since it has been designed to work even on devices which are set to be non-discoverable over Bluetooth. If the Bluesnarfing attack is carried out successfully, it can be used to copy all the content stored on your device — including messages, photos, call logs, and passwords. Bluesnarfing was first discovered around 2014 when it was used to hack mostly Nokia and Sony handsets.
- Bluebugging: This attack was mostly designed for snooping purposes when it was created by German researcher Martin Herfurt in 2004. It can intercept your phone calls, giving Bluetooth phone hackers the ability to eavesdrop on your conversations, as well as monitor your browsing habits, messages, and emails.
- Bluejacking: This is one of the most common Bluetooth hacks, but fortunately it is also one of the least dangerous. It was originally designed in the early 2000s for distributing harmless pranks, and it can only really be used to send spam messages.
Whatever the attack may be, it is almost always carried out in a similar fashion. Hackers will typically go to a public place, such as a coffee shop, and use sophisticated software that automatically searches for Bluetooth-enabled devices nearby. The software first obtains a list of Bluetooth peripherals you've connected to in the past, then replicates them, so your smartphone or tablet believes that it is communicating with a trusted device.
Once the software has established a connection, it can then send the malicious code to your Android or iOS device without your permission — and in many cases, you'll have no idea it's happening.
How to protect your smartphone from Bluetooth hacking
Some of the simplest steps you can take to protect yourself from Bluetooth hacking risks on Android and iOS are:
- Disable Bluetooth connectivity when it's not in use by following these steps:
- Open the Settings app (then tap Connections if you're using Android)
- Tap Bluetooth
- Ensure Bluetooth is disabled
- Disable features that use Bluetooth, such as AirDrop on iOS or Fast Share on Android, whenever you're not using them
- Block unknown or unexpected Bluetooth pairing requests
- "Forget" previously paired Bluetooth devices if you no longer use them by following these steps:
- Open the Settings app (then tap Connections if you're using Android)
- Tap Bluetooth
- Select any saved devices you no longer need, then tap Forget
If you're particularly concerned about wireless hacking and you want to bolster your security, you can use a cybersecurity app like Clario to protect your mobile device. Clario offers real-time antivirus monitoring, so if malicious data or apps ever make their way onto your device, Clario will inform you immediately — and help you remove them.
Clario also offers real-time data breach monitoring, so if any of your accounts are ever compromised, you'll know about it right away.
Clario additionally boasts 24/7 advice from security experts, so if you're worried you device may have been compromised, or you just need assistance on staying safe, they're there to help. Try the service for free by taking advantage of its 7-day, no commitment trial.
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