Severe Bluetooth Vulnerability Puts Android, Linux, macOS, and iOS Devices at Risk

A critical security flaw in Bluetooth has emerged, posing a significant threat to Android, Linux, macOS, and iOS devices, potentially allowing malicious actors to seize control. Tracked as CVE-2023-45866, this vulnerability revolves around an authentication bypass, enabling attackers to connect to susceptible devices and inject keystrokes to achieve code execution on the victim’s device.

Security researcher, who discovered the flaws and promptly notified software vendors in August 2023, highlighted that multiple Bluetooth stacks harbor authentication bypass vulnerabilities. These flaws enable attackers to connect to discoverable hosts without user confirmation and inject keystrokes, exploiting an “unauthenticated pairing mechanism” specified in the Bluetooth protocol.

The attack involves tricking the targeted device into perceiving a connection with a Bluetooth keyboard. Notably, this occurs through the exploitation of an unauthenticated pairing mechanism defined in the Bluetooth specification. Successful exploitation of this flaw allows adversaries in close physical proximity to connect to a vulnerable device and transmit keystrokes. Consequently, attackers can install apps and execute arbitrary commands on the compromised device.

Of significance is the fact that the attack doesn’t necessitate specialized hardware and can be executed from a Linux computer utilizing a regular Bluetooth adapter. Detailed technical insights into the flaw are anticipated to be disclosed in the future.

The broad impact of this vulnerability extends to devices running Android (from version 4.2.2, released in November 2012 onward), iOS, Linux, and macOS. Additionally, macOS and iOS devices are affected when Bluetooth is enabled, and a Magic Keyboard is paired with the vulnerable device. Even Apple’s LockDown Mode, designed to fortify against sophisticated digital threats, is susceptible to this flaw.

Google, in an advisory released this month, emphasized the severity of CVE-2023-45866, stating that it “could lead to remote (proximal/adjacent) escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed.” Urgent attention and security measures are crucial to safeguard vulnerable devices from potential exploitation of this critical Bluetooth vulnerability.

Protect your devices from the Bluetooth vulnerability by promptly updating your operating systems and disabling Bluetooth when not in use. Be cautious when pairing devices, ensuring they are from trusted sources. Also, user should regularly check for security updates and follow best practices for secure Bluetooth usage to mitigate the risk of exploitation by threat actors.