Android @lemdro.id ijeff @lemdro.id 8 mo. ago

Flipper Zero can now spam Android, Windows users with Bluetooth alerts

www.bleepingcomputer.com Flipper Zero can now spam Android, Windows users with Bluetooth alerts

A custom Flipper Zero firmware called 'Xtreme' has added a new feature to perform Bluetooth spam attacks on Android and Windows devices.

45 comments

I want one of these flipper devices but I’m sure I would get in a lot of trouble with it
- If you cannot trust yourself, then do not provide yourself temptation
- Just call yourself a tinkerer or a person doing security testing.
  
  If you're using it against other people, let them know.
- Permanently Deleted
- If you use it only against your own devices, you'll be perfectly fine.
- Mine arrives tomorrow c:
- Only if you get caught
Why is this a thing?
- Which one: the Flipper Zero, or the bluetooth spamming function?
  
  Flipper Zero is a thing because it's a very capable device for hackers and tinkerers. It can be used as an intro to coding and pen-testing.
  
  The bluetooth spam is a thing because some dev is an asshole.
  
  This is how we learn to make more secure software.
  
  What does the ven diagram of devs and assholes look like, I wonder?
- Permanently Deleted
  
  You don’t need a laptop to do that, there’s a WiFi Dev Board for the Flipper.
- Because it's cool and fun
- I saw one program that Rick rolled Bluetooth device lists.
I wonder if I could get work to buy me one and claim that I'll use it for pen testing.

My coworkers would 100% definitely plug it in if they saw it lying around just to see what it was. They're real bad.
More importantly, flipper Xtreme has a miku asset pack
You should probably keep your wifi and bluetooth set to switch off automatically anyway, what with how much they're used for tracking.
- Doesn't work if you have Bluetooth devices on all the time (like a smartwatch or earbuds).
  
  Earbuds aren't on all the time, so you can enable when needed and set it to disable after a few min of activity.
  
  I can see that smart watches might be a problem. They should perhaps use a dedicated protocol for always on devices like that.
- Permanently Deleted
- I don’t know if turning off Bluetooth protects against flipper attacks (Edit: Nah.), but unless something has changed, it (sadly) doesn’t preserve your privacy.
  
  It’s not really documented, as far as I can tell, but Bluetooth low energy stays on, even when you toggle Bluetooth off for both iOS and Android. As of iOS 15, even turning off iPhones means the phone is still trackable. (Unsure about Android on that front.) Apple’s ‘Find my’ network uses Bluetooth low energy, same as Bluetooth beacons.
  
  Confused developers: one, two, three.
  
  That sounds like disabling Bluetooth on iphones doesn't disable Bluetooth LE. Sucks for iPhone users.
- Tracking my HR and steps via smartwatch!
Keep your BT off unless actively using it?
- I almost always use it. For my smart band, PC notifications, wireless Android auto..
  
  Well that's a security vulnerability tbh
- Looks like that’s an ineffective approach.
  
  I commented elsewhere with an explanation and a bit of speculation. I did later confirm that even ‘disabling’ Bluetooth doesn’t stop the attack.
  
  The attack method works even when Bluetooth has been disabled using airplane mode from the control panel, which may surprise you. In which case, you’ll be shocked to discover that disabling Bluetooth this way, erm, doesn’t. Instead, you’d need to disable it directly from your device settings or run your iPhone in Lockdown Mode to prevent these advertising pop-ups from being received.
  Source
  
  Assuming similar on Android, it’s possible, but not that easy toggle everyone knows about.
  
  Correct both android and iOS don't disable it unless manually done in BT settings.
  
  As you walk around your BT gets tagged and they sell your data.
  
  Think of a setting like a mall ;)
  
  Depends which "Android" you're running. #GrapheneOS disables it completely.

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