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Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

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Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#161

Post by vel0city »

360MustangScope wrote: post #112
FirmwareBurner wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I know it's a popular trope on HN to say nothing on Windows ever works but anecdotally I've been using Bluetooth on windows for over 10 years now from 7 to 11, and never had any issues whatsoever that were related to Windows itself. The only issues I have are Bluetooth disappears after wake from sleep which after research appears to be due to buggy firmware of the Mediatek network card installed in the laptop and not…

I’ve had a ton issues on Windows with Bluetooth and I know it’s not the hardware because on Linux it works fine. My Xbox Series controller is the biggest issue. For instance will not automatically reconnect when I pair it the first time and then disconnect. On the next turn on of the controller, it never finds the PC and connects. Windows then has no push for me to press to connect. I have to delete the controller an…

I've experienced Bluetooth issues like that before on Windows. 100% of the time it's been solved by using a better Bluetooth adapter. I don't have any issues after using actually good Bluetooth adapters, such as modern Intel ones.

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#162

Post by galangalalgol »

kelnos wrote: post #46

I had to dig a little to figure this out, so, to keep yourself safe: Android: disable Bluetooth when you're not using it (but you'll be vulnerable while you are). My Pixel just got the 12/5/2023 security update, which fixes the issue; not sure about non-Pixel phones. Linux: Open up /etc/bluetooth/input.conf and set ClassicBondedOnly=true (in my case I just had to uncomment this, not add anything). The next version of…

Any idea how to tell if grapheneOS fixed this in its sunfish (4a) branch? I'm stuck on android 13 with a 4a and I need Bluetooth to open my car door. If graphene fixed this, it would spur me to finally move to it. I just can't justify getting a new phone when this one works fine.

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#163

Post by core_dumped »

slacka wrote: post #147
tungah wrote: post #133

This is great news now that the industry phased out physical audio connection on phones in favor of wireless. Good job, guys.

This vulnerability is about injecting keystrokes into connected wireless keyboards and mice.[1] With the phone industry adoption of USB-C, they've made wired easier than ever before. [1] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/bluetooth/bluez.git/commit/pr...

This comment is generating far more snark than the parent to be frank.

Not everyone wants to use a USB-C dongle so they can use their old 3.5 headphones, and even more people don’t really care about being able to have a mouse and keyboard on their phone in the first place.

If you want me to show you what the “thoughtful discussion” is: The parent made the point that phone companies have been following a trend of locking down physical access in favor of wireless tech. I’ll add that this has not only removed beloved features, but now that everyone is being forced down the Bluetooth/wifi stack we are far more susceptible in public when exploits like these rear their ugly heads. There are roundabout solutions like using a USB-C dongle but… really? Does anyone find that to be effective at all? What about when you want more than one connection? You need a splitter or a hub. It’s just such a seemingly useless “improvement” if it feels like we’re going backwards having to buy extra stuff.

If you want to reply with your disagreement, please do so in a thoughtful manner. Please think before you post. I come to this website not for snark, but for thoughtful conversation ;) Ty

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#164

Post by segfaultbuserr »

neverrroot wrote: post #3

Oh snap, here we go again, convenience vs security, zero sum game.

Not just "convenience vs. security", also the plain old "backward compatibility vs. security". The BlueZ vulnerability was patched years ago but it was not enabled due to backward compatibility concerns:

    diff --git a/profiles/input/input.conf b/profiles/input/input.conf
    index 4c70bc561f..d8645f3dd6 100644
    --- a/profiles/input/input.conf
    +++ b/profiles/input/input.conf
    @@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     # platforms may want to make sure that input connections only come from bonded
     # device connections. Several older mice have been known for not supporting
     # pairing/encryption.
    -# Defaults to false to maximize device compatibility.
    +# Defaults to true for security.
     #ClassicBondedOnly=true
 
     # LE upgrade security

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#165

Post by msephton »

slacka wrote: post #147
tungah wrote: post #133

This is great news now that the industry phased out physical audio connection on phones in favor of wireless. Good job, guys.

This vulnerability is about injecting keystrokes into connected wireless keyboards and mice.[1] With the phone industry adoption of USB-C, they've made wired easier than ever before. [1] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/bluetooth/bluez.git/commit/pr...

Yet you reply with snark? Be the change you want to see in this world.

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#166

Post by fsflover »

slacka wrote: post #147
tungah wrote: post #133

This is great news now that the industry phased out physical audio connection on phones in favor of wireless. Good job, guys.

This vulnerability is about injecting keystrokes into connected wireless keyboards and mice.[1] With the phone industry adoption of USB-C, they've made wired easier than ever before. [1] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/bluetooth/bluez.git/commit/pr...

My phone has both audio jack and USB-C.

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#167

Post by icehawk »

xp84 wrote: post #35
wtallis wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't Android Auto carry audio over Bluetooth? That would be consistent with how unreliable the audio is.

Hey don’t knock it until you’ve tried Apple’s equivalent (wireless CarPlay) which has a 3 second buffer since they decided to use Wi-Fi for audio. Imagine if every time you play or pause or change tracks you have to count to three in your head before it responds. Yes, I’m bitter. Somehow the video and touch are lag-free 1 but the audio is on a delay. I’d love to have regular Bluetooth audio be used.

Regular Bluetooth audio isn't guaranteed to save you there. My car has a 6 second delay on the Bluetooth audio.

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#168

Post by fsflover »

vel0city wrote: post #161
360MustangScope wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve had a ton issues on Windows with Bluetooth and I know it’s not the hardware because on Linux it works fine. My Xbox Series controller is the biggest issue. For instance will not automatically reconnect when I pair it the first time and then disconnect. On the next turn on of the controller, it never finds the PC and connects. Windows then has no push for me to press to connect. I have to delete the controller an…

I've experienced Bluetooth issues like that before on Windows. 100% of the time it's been solved by using a better Bluetooth adapter. I don't have any issues after using actually good Bluetooth adapters, such as modern Intel ones.

When people say that Linux works flawlessly with the right hardware, people also often don't seem care.

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#169

Post by fsflover »

Aachen wrote: post #149
55555 wrote: post #141

This is a pretty tremendous hack. Almost all computers are vulnerable and if you can get close enough to them you can quickly send keyboard presses to open a terminal window and install software (hopefully the password request saves you at this point).

Yes, thankfully there's a password on installing software as root Obligatory https://xkcd.com/1200/ Running code works fine without root, at least to copy your emails, saved logins, and browser sessions file and such

Which is why I'm using Qubes OS to isolate Bluetooth from the rest of the system.

Re: Bluetooth keystroke-injection in Android, Linux, macOS and iOS

#170

Post by layer8 »

> I'm really not sure what sort of wireless keyboard to recommend at this point. If you are reading this and you make a secure wireless keyboard, please send me one so I can hack it for you.

Do I understand this correctly that the attack requires a vulnerable keyboard to be actively connected to the device? But the fix for the vulnerability is on the device side, not the keyboard side?

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