Well, this kernel Bluetooth exploit is depressing

[sgosnell]

I use bluetooth, but nobody gets into my home. If someone has the necessary equipment and can park it near enough to receive bluetooth transmissions from my computer, I guess they can exploit the exploit. But I'm not that worried about it.

[Deb-fan]

^ +1 what he said, I don't use bluetooth just never got into it and so never have it enabled or any BT related pkgs. This ancient Dell Inspiron has the option in bios to disable it. Still guessing for vast majority this isn't going to matter much. At least somebody caught it and are taking corrective action, didn't even read the full security advisory but am glad people know, if I were using BT would be paying closer attention until things are sorted out. Gotta agree it's a tad of a downer, the sheer scope of kernel's affected but it's been found and no doubt will be fixed ASAP.

[stevepusser]

A more dangerous place would be in a classroom, work environment, or coffee shop. A cautious user will just have to resort to wired devices in those cases.

[Deb-fan]

All good points imo @Stevep, although am sure it's amazing technology for whatever reason just always had a fundamental distrust of bluetooth, for no real technical reasons, least none I can remember cause I didn't spend a great deal of time looking into it. The general idea made me and still kinda does uncomfortable, this and that connecting or pairing to my xyz-device(s.)

Am sure BT can be really useful no matter what and that this too shall pass. Thing that has me a tad freaked about this is what it all might mean for Android devices, people who may not ever get upgrades and fixes on mobile. Though for same reasons stated have always avoided enabling BT on mobile too.

PS, more brainfarts, also surely has to be ways to harden it, like a hidden SSID or something ? Just cause it's running, doesn't mean it should announce itself to the entire world. Guessing there's effective ways to deal with this crap, even on vulnerable devices. If had a bunch of bluetooth goodies laying around, yeppers, seems like now would be a good time to start googling "improve security on bluetooth" and "securing bluetooth" etc.

[sgosnell]

We have different viewpoints on this, of course, Steve. I'm looking at it purely from a personal point of view, while you're responsible to all sorts of users. Using bluetooth in crowded public spaces is certainly problematic, with or without this exploit. I just don't do that. In fact, these days I don't even go around those sorts of places. I do understand your concern, though. FWIW, I saw an article last night that said both Debian and Ubuntu had released patched kernels, and that all versions should now be fixed, as long as it's the latest available.

[CwF]

I rarely use it but have checked some BT adapters in Debian just to see...For over two years there has been a device 'ats8830' somewhere within range that I still haven't figured out what it is? Not one of my things. I played with meshing wifi and using a 'SDR' program to run many wifi together to triangulate locations, but I haven't wasted the time with BT, nor have multiple adapters to use. Whatever ats8830 is it must have a killer battery!

[sgosnell]

Whatever ats8830 is it must have a killer battery!

Or be connected to mains power. All sorts of things have bluetooth in them now - amplifiers, soundbars, speakers, all the digital home assistants, even some home appliances - refrigerators, TVs, almost anything. If it's in range, it's something in your home.

[Deb-fan]

OR it's some evil haxxor who's been driving around your neighboorhood with a high gain antenna waiting for you to dare turn on BT CwF !!!! Mwahhhaahhaaahaha.

Upon reviewing a bit I do remember why I opted out of bluetooth, wasn't just that the whole premise sounded iffy, vaguely remember looking up security concerns and quickly found way too many credible sources talking about serious concerns with it. Was more than enough reason to flip the off switch and stay away from it. Things apparently have come a long way with BT since then, was many moons ago, looks like not far enough though. Which is clearly a valid concern also, this technology has found its way into everything. People have it integrated into their vehicles and gawds only can list what all else.

"Great some damn blackhat hacked my toaster, ... now everything comes out burnt. DAMN U BT !!!"

Though yep, basic googling quickly turned up much people can do to lock BT down, make it more secure, kind of goes without saying if someone wants to use something, they may want to learn a bit about using it too. Am sure there are many people with tech-gadgets walking around and they're begging for trouble. Makes them much more likely to find some. Same time ... I don't believe it's realistic with all the paranoia that there's a blackhat and cyber-criminal gang hiding behind every tree and under each bush either.

ALSO for the longest time those people walking around with bt earbuds seemingly talking to themselves creeped me out, errr, still do for real. I'm the only one ?

[stevepusser]

ALSO for the longest time those people walking around with bt earbuds seemingly talking to themselves creeped me out, errr, still do for real. I'm the only one ?

What? Are you talking to me--I can't hear you over my tunes, brah!

Anyway, the patch referenced in the Debian security notice

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/ke ... 3720bd4d22
also applies cleanly to Debian's 5.18.14, since I got tired of waiting for Debian's 5.8.16 or newer kernel, and Nvidia won't have drivers that build on 5.9 kernels for weeks, it seems. (Insert obligatory Nvidia bash here)

[Deb-fan]

^Lol ... am sure you've been there, done it and remember.

BT first came out and that type of thing happened it made for some comical moments and some somewhat tense ones too. ie:

"WTH did you say to me ? Who the hades are you talking to dude ?" moments. People point at their ear, I'm talking on a phone ...

Don't know overall, still fairly sure with a tad of common sense + effort bluetooth can be dandy stuff. Still remain uncomfortable with it though.

[CwF]

Who the hades are you talking to dude ?" moments.

I'm the type to walk up to them, point and giggle, move my mouth like I'm talking, making no sound, then nod and smile as if in the end of a joke as I walk away.... Then when they distract and remove their earpiece to say something I keep walking...if I have to I say 'Oh, I wasn't talking to you.'

[Deb-fan]

^LMAO CwF.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Back then had zero idea what was going on, not that I'm all that far along now either. That's pretty close to a mirror image of my 1st experience with a BT earbud. Still only 1/2 believed the guy when he walked off too. Hmmmm talking on a phone eh ? Yeah ... okay, weirdoe.

Now everybody knows what's going on. Sometimes wonder how many of these peeps we see walking around mumbling to themselves DON'T even have a bluetooth device, lol. This tech's whole idea, it's track record and some added disturbing stuff I read due to this thread, errr, no intent to bother learning anything about bluetooth unless it's a requirement for some oddball reason.

Yep, more dorkness, bare with me ...

All those kernel's being vulnerable, something about this which also bugs me. Constantly see these linux users touting all these eyes on the source. There are NO MORE QUALIFIED EYES in all the open source world than those of the people at kernel.org and everybody missed this, this long ? Wth man, just wth ?!?! I mean with limited exception those nixers must be some of the absolute best of the best in tech anywhere. Ah fark.

ps, dang it.

Wanted to clarify something, pretty sure that guy in the bt earbud incident described was having an argument on the phone, I mean wasn't just walking along nicely talking to himself, was gesturing wildly, speaking in an angered voice etc. So from my perspective some weird guy doing this was walking in my general direction and getting closer, so yeppers, I got hostile real fast. Did think he was being threatening ... It's funny now, wasn't at the time. Just don't want anybody thinking damn Deb-fan, you're a real friggin jerk blowing up on some guy.

[stevepusser]

Well, yes, it used to be fairly safe to assume some one talking to voices that only they could hear were cracked in the coconut, but Bluetooth has changed all that. It'll be even worse in the future when the tech is made even smaller and implantable, so we can't even spot the earbuds when we get close.