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Being able to wirelessly share data between different devices at a short range over Bluetooth is extremely convenient. The tech is built into consumer electronics ranging from headphones and your smartphone to cool gadgets designed for Bluetooth for utility or entertainment value. For many of us, Bluetooth is a part of our daily lives, helping us listen to music or take phone calls while driving. We use it so frequently that we end up leaving it on all the time. However, leaving your device’s Bluetooth on all the time can be risky.
Though it is a short-range technology that usually requires the user to deliberately pair the devices, it’s not ironclad. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), “Keeping [Bluetooth] active enables hackers to discover what other devices you connected to before, spoof one of those devices, and gain access to your device.” It’s comparable to one of the biggest concerns about using public Wi-Fi networks: Can owners see what you’re doing?
Your smartphone is especially at risk since it goes everywhere with you and contains lots of personal information. That’s why it’s important to turn off your phone’s Bluetooth when you’re not actively using it.
Hackers could access your data via Bluetooth
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To keep your data safe, the FCC recommends turning off Bluetooth when it’s not in use. Other tips include remembering to remove your phone from any rental cars you paired with before returning it and changing your Bluetooth settings to hidden instead of discoverable mode. However, that last one isn’t an option on iPhone, which only lets you turn Bluetooth on and off.
Android phones have a Fast Pair setting that lets them scan for Bluetooth devices. It’s supposed to only connect to devices associated with your Google Account, but, as Belgian researchers discovered, many Android products have a flaw that leaves them vulnerable to hijacking and location tracking. Since the issue is with how Fast Pair interacts with accessories rather than the smartphone itself, that means even those who have never used an Android or Google product are at risk.
For that reason, it’s best to turn Fast Pair scanning off by going to the Devices menu and disabling Scan for nearby devices. No matter what kind of phone you have, you should get into the habit of turning off Bluetooth when you aren’t using it. After all, it usually doesn’t take long for your devices to reconnect, and it’s a small sacrifice for protecting your data.
