vendor of bluetooth chip used in sony, bose, and everyone else’s headphones leaves debugging protocol completely open with no authentication over bluetooth low energy:

uh oh:

  • remotely connect to headphones over thus protocol without needing a pairing interaction
  • dump “now playing” data
  • connect audio stream and eavesdrop
  • dump your phone number
  • brick the headphones
  • dump the pairing key used to make your phone recognize your headphones as your headphones, and then impersonate your headphones

and that’s when the REAL fun starts:

  • talk to your voice assistant remotely
  • make and manage calls while your phone is in your pocket
  • eavesdrop from your phone microphone (by making you call them and then dropping the bluetooth connection so your phone switches to builtin mic)
  • steal your whatsapp from 10ft away (since they have your phone #, the ability to accept the “we’ll call and verify it’s you” phone call
  • before your phone starts vibrating, and the ability to listen and hear the code)
  • steal your amazon (since you can login thru a phone number and a whatsapp confirmation code)

Reference:

  1. Bluetooth Headphone Jacking: A Key to Your Phone
  2. quote