MasterBlaster76
ICC Chairman
I recently picked up a Bluetooth headset for my phone as my MP3 player had packed up and I decided to kill two birds with one stone by buying a headset that could play my music as well as be used for calls - sometimes my phone would ring and I'd fail to hear it because of the MP3 player's music. Now I can go running or to the gym without wires being trailed around, and I never miss a call - perfect.
However, I've been reading numerous disturbing articles to the effect that Bluetooth is extremely easy to hack and once in, an attacker can do numerous things from play audio down your headset, to more serious things such as being able to listen in on your private conversations and make expensive phonecalls around the world, saddling you with the bill. In addition they can access your emails and photos etc.
What's the best way to secure yourself against this kind of crap? I already have my bluetooth renamed from the default phone model, I turn it off when not using it, and I always have it in 'invisibility mode', never discoverable. The thing that concerns me is the headset has a default password which is very easy to guess - is that pathetically weak 'measure' the only thing a hacker has to navigate in order to gain access? Can an attacker pair themselves with your phone if it's invisible, or if you deny permission? Do they need to be able to see or pair with your phone in order to access the headset? Is there any way at all to make the bluetooth headset's passcode more secure? Had I known all this before, I would've simply bought a new MP3 player - nothing's worth having my conversations listened to or the other stuff I listed.
Thanks in advance for any replies guys.
However, I've been reading numerous disturbing articles to the effect that Bluetooth is extremely easy to hack and once in, an attacker can do numerous things from play audio down your headset, to more serious things such as being able to listen in on your private conversations and make expensive phonecalls around the world, saddling you with the bill. In addition they can access your emails and photos etc.
What's the best way to secure yourself against this kind of crap? I already have my bluetooth renamed from the default phone model, I turn it off when not using it, and I always have it in 'invisibility mode', never discoverable. The thing that concerns me is the headset has a default password which is very easy to guess - is that pathetically weak 'measure' the only thing a hacker has to navigate in order to gain access? Can an attacker pair themselves with your phone if it's invisible, or if you deny permission? Do they need to be able to see or pair with your phone in order to access the headset? Is there any way at all to make the bluetooth headset's passcode more secure? Had I known all this before, I would've simply bought a new MP3 player - nothing's worth having my conversations listened to or the other stuff I listed.
Thanks in advance for any replies guys.
