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Billions of Bluetooth devices could get hit by this attack
Cnet ^ | September 12, 2017; 6AM PDT | BY ALFRED NG

Posted on 09/12/2017 5:45:06 PM PDT by Swordmaker

More than 5 billion devices are vulnerable to a "highly infectious" malware attack. Go ahead, blame the internet of things.


Armis Labs says more than 5 billion devices are vulnerable to attacks through newly discovered Bluetooth exploits.–Josh Miller/CNET

More than 5.3 billion devices with Bluetooth signals are at risk of a malware attack newly identified by an internet of things security company.

If you're not keeping count, that's most of the estimated 8.2 billion devices that use Bluetooth, which allows for our gadgets to connect and communicate wirelessly. Nearly every connected device out there has Bluetooth capability. Your phones, laptops, speakers, car entertainment systems – the list goes on and on to even the most mundane gadgets.

Because those devices can connect to others effortlessly, Bluetooth has left an open attack point for hackers, according to researchers at Armis Labs. The attack method, which they're calling BlueBorne, is especially dangerous because it can spread without the victim doing anything or noticing it.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnet.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Conspiracy
KEYWORDS: applepinglist; bluetooth; malware
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iOS 9.5.3 and older could be at risk, so update your iOS devices to the latest version of iOS to avoid being invaded by this malware. Almost all older Android devices are likely not going to get upgraded to patch this vulnerability. . . leaving possibly 2 billion devices vulnerable to BlueBorne.
1 posted on 09/12/2017 5:45:06 PM PDT by Swordmaker
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To: dayglored; ThunderSleeps; ShadowAce; ~Kim4VRWC's~; 1234; 5thGenTexan; Abundy; Action-America; ...
All except the latest updated Bluetooth versions are vulnerable to the BlueBorne malware invasion which can spread viruses and trojans to any Bluetooth capable device, some 8.2 BILLION now in the wild. iOS 9.3.5 and earlier is vulnerable to this problem but iOS 10 is immune. Latest versions of Android have patches, but rely on carriers to push out those patches and users to install them. Older devices that cannot be patched, and users who don't update will remain vulnerable. Microsoft patched it's Windows 10 computers in July, but who knows about earlier Windows versions. Of course, turning Bluetooth off is an ultimate protection. — PING!

Pinging dayglored, ThunderSleeps, and ShadowAce for their ping lists.


Cross Platform BlueTooth Baddy Malware
Ping!

The latest Apple/Mac/iOS Pings can be found by searching Keyword "ApplePingList" on FreeRepublic's Search.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me

2 posted on 09/12/2017 5:56:36 PM PDT by Swordmaker (!This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... bet if the insults to Mac users continue...)
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To: Swordmaker

My Sony Bravia tv can hook up to bluetooth, but it requires me to do some stuff, which I for sure won’t do now.


3 posted on 09/12/2017 5:57:30 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: Swordmaker

So, anything prior to Android 6 (Marshmallow) will not be fixed? It also sounds like while Google has provided the security fixes for Android 6 (MarshMallow) and 7 (Nougat), it’s up to the non-Google partners to implement these fixes.


4 posted on 09/12/2017 5:59:08 PM PDT by CatOwner
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To: Swordmaker
iOS 9.5.3 and older could be at risk

oops, I'm getting distypic in my old age. Make that iOS 9.3.5, and older. . .

5 posted on 09/12/2017 6:00:01 PM PDT by Swordmaker (!This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... bet if the insults to Mac users continue...)
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To: sparklite2
My Sony Bravia tv can hook up to bluetooth, but it requires me to do some stuff, which I for sure won’t do now.

That Sony is probably an Android device at heart. I wonder if it will get an upgrade to patch the vulnerability? Check to see if there's a firmware upgrade for your TV. That might secure it.

6 posted on 09/12/2017 6:01:49 PM PDT by Swordmaker (!This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... bet if the insults to Mac users continue...)
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To: CatOwner
So, anything prior to Android 6 (Marshmallow) will not be fixed? It also sounds like while Google has provided the security fixes for Android 6 (MarshMallow) and 7 (Nougat), it’s up to the non-Google partners to implement these fixes.

Users have to find and download the patches if your devices can be upgraded. Some cannot be. If I were you, I'd be looking right now. Perhaps your carrier has it up now, or the Google Play Store will have a patch for your device.

7 posted on 09/12/2017 6:03:27 PM PDT by Swordmaker (!This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... bet if the insults to Mac users continue...)
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To: Swordmaker
Microsoft patched it's Windows 10 computers

Maybe this is why the Bluetooth on my Win 10 laptop doesn't pair with devices anymore.

8 posted on 09/12/2017 6:05:48 PM PDT by virgil (The evil that men do lives after them)
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To: Swordmaker

So...what’s the risk? Will my speakers spontaneously start to play polka or something?


9 posted on 09/12/2017 6:07:00 PM PDT by stormhill
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To: Swordmaker

The neat thing is the TV is online and updates itself. So a patch would be easy. I just wish, when they wake up a set that is turned off, they’d turn it back off when they’re done updating. That would seem like a no-brainer.


10 posted on 09/12/2017 6:10:37 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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Of course, if you have BlueTooth disabled, it’s impossible to be infected.

I don’t use my phone for “important” email, for instance, anything from banks, and always leave BT disabled.

That’s how so many celebrity nude photos and videos wound up on the web. If you don’t have BT or NF enabled, it’s VERY difficult for a phone to be hacked (as long as it’s always in your possession.)

Mark


11 posted on 09/12/2017 6:12:05 PM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: Swordmaker
I'm getting distypic in my old age

Is this adult-onset distypia or the modern version spread by casual contact?

12 posted on 09/12/2017 6:12:46 PM PDT by stormhill
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To: virgil

It took me about an hour to fix my Bluetooth adapter on a laptop recently. I wonder if this is what it was.


13 posted on 09/12/2017 6:12:54 PM PDT by raybbr (That progressive bumper sticker on your car might just as well say, "Yes, I'm THAT stupid!")
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To: stormhill

Cynical me says this is a good way to get people off their ‘old crap’ and update/buy new as WE are not going to waste our time protecting the older models.

Way back when ‘they’ invented the bugs, ‘we’ were told that there was no way certain things could be tracked so don’t worry about the ‘government’ tracking you and there is no way we can find all those students who overstayed their visas.

A ‘bug’ popped up and within 24 hours it was traced to a seedy hotel in a Manila suburb.

A cow in Montana was suspected of having ‘Mad Cow Disease’ and within 24 hours they had a print out of the cows lineage back to his great great great great grandfather.


14 posted on 09/12/2017 6:15:24 PM PDT by xrmusn ((6/98)""If the earth were flat, cats would have pushed everything over the edge by now")
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To: xrmusn

It was called ‘planned obsolescent’ back in the day.
And don’t worry. No matter how cynical you get,
it will never be enough.


15 posted on 09/12/2017 6:18:58 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: stormhill

More likely some Russian folk song...


16 posted on 09/12/2017 6:23:39 PM PDT by Paladin2 (No spelchk nor wrong word auto substition on mobile dev. Please be intelligent and deal with it....)
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To: sparklite2

That would be totally stealth.

Convenient, but Not Good.


17 posted on 09/12/2017 6:28:22 PM PDT by Paladin2 (No spelchk nor wrong word auto substition on mobile dev. Please be intelligent and deal with it....)
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To: Paladin2

What do you mean? Should the TV be left on all night because it updated after bedtime? That’s what would happen if I didn’t notice the updating take place.


18 posted on 09/12/2017 6:36:56 PM PDT by sparklite2 (I'm less interested in the rights I have than the liberties I can take.)
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To: Swordmaker
I think my Bluetooth devices are safe. They rarely connect to anything.
19 posted on 09/12/2017 6:41:51 PM PDT by TChad
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To: stormhill

“So...what’s the risk? Will my speakers spontaneously start to play polka or something?”

That’s risk enough right there.


20 posted on 09/12/2017 6:42:44 PM PDT by Magic Fingers (Political correctness mutates in order to remain virulent.)
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