The ASSET Research Group for information security has published details about 16 vulnerabilities in the Bluetooth protocol. The bugs affect billions of devices that use System-on-a-Chip (SoC) from several vendors. The vulnerabilities, collectively known as BrakTooth, can be exploited by threat actors for different purposes, including executing arbitrary code and taking control of a device.

The study tested Bluetooth software libraries for 13 SoCs from 11 vendors. However, subsequent research showed that the problem is much larger, as the same Bluetooth firmware is used together with more than 1400 chips, used as the base for a wide assortment of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, various industrial equipment and IoT-devices.

The most dangerous vulnerability is CVE-2021-28139, the exploitation of which allows attackers to carry out remote code execution via Bluetooth LMP packets. The vulnerability affects smart devices and industrial equipment built on Espressif Systems ESP32 microcontrollers. The exploitation of another vulnerability could crash the Bluetooth service on smartphones and laptops. The problem impacts Microsoft Surface laptops, Dell computers, and Qualcomm-based smartphones from different vendors. Another vulnerability can be used to crash the device, which will force the user to reboot the device.

The researchers notified all vendors about identified flaws. Espressif Systems, Infineon and Bluetrun have released patches. The other vendors said that they need more time to do their internal investigations and prepare the patches.

Source: 3dnews.ru