Turn off your Bluetooth, warn security experts

Your Bluetooth connection is dangerous. Very dangerous. This is the message of the biggest convention on hackers.

Bluetooth, a wireless technology that connects everything from wireless headphones to automotive entertainment systems, is a hacker's paradise.

It is bad enough that the hacker convention participants, DEF CON, advise turning it off when not in use, as reported in Security Boulevard and Mashable reports.

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"People can follow you with your Bluetooth devices. The problem is chronic with devices like headphones [and] "Fitness trackers," noted Security Boulevard in an article titled "Securing Devices for DEF CON," adding that many Bluetooth devices "seem to have gaping holes that are just waiting to be hacked."

KNOB's recent attack, released on August 13, illustrates how dangerous Bluetooth connections can be. The "serious" vulnerability of the Bluetooth specification may allow an attacker to potentially modify the content of nearby Bluetooth devices, according to a web page of the attack.

If you use your Bluetooth for music or audio, the danger is low, said Adam Kujawa, director of Malwarebytes Labs, at Fox News.

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"When using Bluetooth for other tasks, such as data transmission, calls … the probability that an attack causes damage increases, but I do not think it increases the likelihood of being attacked, "he said.

Most of the tools for effective hacking are expensive, he said.

"In addition, the skills required to launch this type of attack are at least in the intermediate zone," he said.

But Jake Kouns, head of information security at Risk Based Security, says the situation as a whole is less optimistic.

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"The widespread use of Bluetooth means that a single vulnerability can have a devastating impact on an ever-growing list of devices," he said in an email to Fox News.

"This problem is compounded by the fact that many consumer-compatible Bluetooth devices are not usually easy to update and, in some cases, can not be updated," he said, making them never vulnerable to attack.

But is it convenient to turn off your Bluetooth every time you use it?

"Whenever I hear the board turn off Bluetooth, it looks a little dirty on the surface, because there should be a better option," Kouns said.

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"But realistically and unfortunately, in many cases, disabling Bluetooth is the best suggestion," he added.

One thing to keep in mind, Kouns said, is that many consumer devices only need Bluetooth activation for unique setup procedures. After that, Bluetooth can be disabled.

The problem is when a device needs to have a Bluetooth connection turned on all the time.

"Bluetooth headsets, fitness trackers and smartwatches are just a few examples that require the ongoing activation of Bluetooth to enable real-time data synchronization, including the reception of alerts and messages," said Kouns.

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Know which devices use Bluetooth, he noted. According to Kouns, consumers often have no idea which devices use Bluetooth and which ones access confidential data.

"The development of Bluetooth is focused on functionality and the extension of usage rather than security," said Kujawa of Malwarebytes Labs.

But that will probably change in the future, he said.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) gives priority to security and the specification provides advanced security features that meet global requirements. GIS also provides member companies with many development tools and resources to assist in the effective implementation of Bluetooth technology, including its security features.

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The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, the professional association that oversees Bluetooth technology, told Fox News that it prioritizes security and that the Bluetooth specification "provides advanced security features that meet global requirements." ".

"GIS also provides member companies with many tools and development resources to assist in the effective implementation of Bluetooth technology, including its security features," a spokeswoman said in a statement sent to Fox News. .

Founded in 1998, Bluetooth SIG encompasses more than 35,000 member companies, according to its website.

James Rogers of Fox News contributed to this article.