Injecting Audio Into Insecure Bluetooth Handsets

vandon writes "Linux hackers have demonstrated a way to inject or record audio signals from passing cars running insecure Bluetooth hands-free units. The Trifinite group showed how hackers could eavesdrop on passing motorists using a directional antenna and a Linux Laptop running a tool it has developed called Car Whisperer."

Comments

"Can you hear me now?"

[flatface]

"Yes we all can."

List of which kits are susceptable

[Se7enLC]

Thank you to the fine people of trifinite.org for not listing off which handsfree devices they found to be secure and which they found to be insecure. Now I guess we'll all just have to wait until we're hacked to find out if we bought the right one.

These guys seem to be pretending to be doing it for the good of the industry, but their site seems to list a lot of Bluetooth Hacks & Attacks. And they didn't seem to have made any effort to contact vendors to get the problem corrected, either.

Re:List of which kits are susceptable

[Technician]

Now I guess we'll all just have to wait until we're hacked to find out if we bought the right one.

Finish reading the article.. Does you device allow you to enter your own passkey? Does your device allow you to reject connection attempts? If your device has no user interface, then it probably is vunerable.

Re:List of which kits are susceptable

[ezzzD55J]

These guys seem to be pretending to be doing it for the good of the industry, but their site seems to list a lot of Bluetooth Hacks & Attacks. And they didn't seem to have made any effort to contact vendors to get the problem corrected, either.

Don't be too tough on them. I saw their demo at WhatTheHack last weekend. After the session I asked which brand to buy for security, and the reply was that Nokia had done a good job of making up for their mess. Also their story at the time was that they test a lot of bluetooth stuff for the industry, working with the industry to find holes before phones go to market (not quite sure of the timing, but I am sure that they cooperate).

Why is it just for cars?

[Kainaw]

I would like this if it is was more than just cars. I'd like to sit outside WalMart and force audio into all the idiots walking around with their bluetooth cell phone earbuds permanently stuck in their ear.

Re:cool but also meh

[POPE Mad Mitch]

This is not a weakness in the protocol or the crypto used. Its about manufacturers cutting corners.

This works on devices which do not need to be put into a special mode to be paired, and which are using a fixed same-for-every-unit pairing password.

this software just requests a pairing with every handsfree device it sees, and tries the standard password. If the device had bothered to need physical confirmation for pairing (like any decent headset) or used a random printed-on-the-box password then this wouldnt be happening.

this also isnt about just listening in on other peoples phone conversations, its about listening to ANY conversation, as once you have paired with the device, if it is for example an in car hands free device, you can turn on the microphone and listen to anything said in the car cabin.

Re:Solution: Encryption

[karnal]

Disclaimer: I work for soft-core crypto company ;-)

So does that mean you work for the "Spice Channel" of the Crypto industry??? :)

Re:Top secret info

[Doc Ruby]

Yes, of course everyone with Top Secret clearance is absolutely discreet with the info they handle.

Everyone knows that "government employee" == "perfectly competent".

Give the mod the benefit of the doubt

[WidescreenFreak]

The parent is indeed 100% on-topic; however, I will give the mod who knocked it with "offtopic" the benefit of the doubt that he is from outside of the U.S. Let's face it. What would someone in the U.K. or Australia really know about a Verizon Wireless series of adverts that are run in the U.S.?

For those who don't understand, Verizon Wireless (as in mobile/cellular phone, not WiFi network) has been running a series of commercials where in order to test the strength of Verizon's signals a Verizon technician will go into the most bizarre locations and say "Can you hear me now? Good!" The idea is that no matter where he goes, he can get a clear signal and can be heard by whoever is on the other end.

Hence why the parent post is actually 100% on-topic and funny.

(Now watch this post get hit with offtopic instead of Informative. No good deed goes unpunished on Slashdot.)