Privacy

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How secure is sending files over Bluetooth? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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If I pair my Android phone and my laptop, I can share files over Bluetooth from the phone to the laptop. I've started finding this a really convenient method for me to send files to a Linux laptop without needing to install a separate app on either the phone or my laptop. Especially when I'm away from my home network (I use SFTP at home).

How secure is this? Is there encryption by default and could someone else nearby with a receiver potentially decode the file you're sending?

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[–] ArbiterXero 17 points 1 week ago (7 children)

It’s actually entirely horse shit.

Only the very newest products that are on the latest standard are secure.

It all look secure and sounds secure and feels secure with all the encryption….

But about 2 years ago there was a downgrade attack that was proven to affect basically everything.

Bluetooth security might as well be a flashing neon sign of your data.

Now it’s not quite that simple and some people have updated their devices etc……

But almost nobody actually has done that because Bluetooth devices are “fire and forget”

I mean when’s the last time you updated the firmware on your headphones or keyboard?

Mostly “never”

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You have to be pretty close to sniff Bluetooth data though. So fine at home, less so in a busy public space. (The chances of someone there trying to hack your Bluetooth is still astranomically small)

[–] ArbiterXero 4 points 1 week ago

Low odds because “you aren’t worth the effort required” agreed.

But the distance officially is like 33 feet to 300 feet depending on the adapter.

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