BlueBorne Attack: SureLock To The Rescue

A new attack vector is threatening all major mobile, desktops and IoT systems – BlueBorne. It is an airborne threat that attacks devices via Bluetooth. BlueBorne allows attackers to take control of devices, access sensitive corporate data and networks, infiltrate “air-gapped” networks and spread malware.

Hackers can use the BlueBorne method to penetrate and take complete control of the targeted devices via Bluetooth connection. It is a serious threat because it can attack even if a device is not set on discoverable mode or is not paired to the attacker’s device, allowing the hacker to strike completely undetected. It targets the weakest link in the networks’ defence – the inability to secure threat spread through the air.

BlueBorne can potentially affect any device with Bluetooth capabilities. With an estimated 8.2 billion devices active today offering Bluetooth feature, BlueBorne has become a major security threat overnight. It can affect all kinds of devices running on Android, Linux, Windows, and pre-version 10 of iOS, such as PCs, mobile devices, TVs, watches, cars, and even medical appliances that use Bluetooth for short range communication.

Hackers can use the BlueBorne to conduct offences such as remote code execution and Man-in-The-Middle attacks. This can be catastrophical for businesses that use mobile devices to conduct corporate operations and communications.

At the moment the only protection from this attack is to turn off bluetooth on the devices. This can turn out to be a herculean task for enterprises using large number of devices for business. With SureLock from 42Gears, IT Admins can push Bluetooth Always OFF setting to all their Android business devices. This can be achieved using the Import/Export from Cloud functionality in SureLock. It is a quick and easy way to ensure safety of corporate devices against the BlueBorne attack. For mobile, tablets and laptops built on other platforms like iOS, Windows CE / Mobile and Linux, these settings can be pushed through SureMDM EMM platform.