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A Bluetooth Impersonation Attack (BIAS) allows cybercriminals to take advantage of vulnerabilities within the Bluetooth protocol, enabling them to masquerade as a trusted device. The “BOSE QC Headphones” that appear in the Bluetooth menu might actually be a malicious device waiting for an unsuspecting user to connect, potentially unleashing chaos.
In this week’s Security Bite, I will demonstrate how malicious actors can utilize a Flipper Zero device to transmit deceptive keystrokes to a Mac by linking it to a counterfeit Bluetooth device. This won’t be a comprehensive tutorial, as many resources already exist. Instead, I aim to highlight the simplicity of executing such an attack and perhaps instill a little paranoia in you.
Upon initial use, Flipper Zero serves as a relatively innocuous pen-testing gadget. However, it can be modified with third-party firmware (specifically, Xtreme), unlocking various applications that leverage the device’s hardware capabilities. It was this same Xtreme firmware that was utilized in 2023 to disrupt iPhones with counterfeit BLE pairing sequences.
A featured application is the “Bad USB” wireless rubber ducky keyboard, which also operates via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). This tool is primarily employed to automate tasks or assess device security by simulating a keyboard, entering commands at a rate far superior to human speed, and executing scripts effortlessly. Coupled with BLE’s 100-meter range, it becomes an appealing option for cybercriminals.
In just twenty minutes and four simple steps, I was able to execute a script that rickrolled my MacBook Air.
- Launch the Bad USB module on the Flipper Zero with the Xtreme firmware installed.
- Transfer your desired payload to the Flipper. I devised a .txt script that opens YouTube.
- Select a clever Bluetooth device name and establish a connection. Residing in a densely populated area, I kept the default name (BadUSB At1l1).
- Upon confirming it as paired, I executed the payload.
This vulnerability does not only target Macs; it can also affect iPhones, iPads, and Windows devices. Of course, the damage inflicted by attackers could be much worse than simply playing a Rick Astley song.
Perspective of the Victim
Mitigation Strategies
The bright side is that this attack only functions when a device is unlocked. Unfortunately, most users do not take adequate precautions when connecting to Bluetooth devices. It is crucial to confirm you are connecting to the correct device (thank goodness for the AirPods’ H2 chip), as malicious entities can employ numerous devices with names closely resembling legitimate ones. They can even use spoofed MAC addresses, complicating identification even further.
To minimize the risk, turn off Bluetooth when not in use, delete unfamiliar devices from your Bluetooth settings, and consider utilizing six-digit pairing codes.
While these types of attacks are rare, they can and do happen. I would argue that they occur frequently enough to be concerning, even if many victims remain oblivious because these attacks often operate undetected in the background. Cybercriminals prefer persistence; why would they render a Mac unusable in a single exploit when they can return for multiple attacks?
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