A critical Bluetooth security vulnerability, identified and tracked as CVE-2023-45866, has emerged as a significant threat, potentially giving malicious actors the ability to exploit an authentication bypass and take control of a broad spectrum of devices, including Android, Linux, macOS, and iOS systems. Discovered by security researcher Marc Newlin in August 2023, this flaw exposes a concerning case of authentication bypass that allows attackers to connect to vulnerable devices without user confirmation and inject keystrokes, ultimately achieving code execution as the victim.

The specific nature of the vulnerability involves multiple Bluetooth stacks possessing authentication bypass vulnerabilities, enabling unauthorized access to a discoverable host. This vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate the target device into believing it is connected to a Bluetooth keyboard, capitalizing on an "unauthenticated pairing mechanism" defined in the Bluetooth specification.

Notably, the attack doesn't require specialized hardware and can be executed using a regular Bluetooth adapter from a Linux computer. While the full technical details are yet to be released, the attack vector presents a serious risk, as it allows adversaries in close physical proximity to connect to a vulnerable device and transmit keystrokes. This opens the door for attackers to install applications and execute arbitrary commands, potentially compromising the security and integrity of the affected devices.

The scope of this vulnerability is extensive, affecting a wide range of devices running Android, with the impact reaching back to version 4.2.2, released in November 2012. Additionally, iOS, Linux, and macOS systems are also susceptible. Notably, even devices using Apple's LockDown Mode, designed to enhance security against sophisticated digital threats, are not immune to this Bluetooth flaw.

In response to the discovery, Google released an advisory this month, stating that CVE-2023-45866 "could lead to remote (proximal/adjacent) escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed." This underscores the severity of the issue, emphasizing the urgency for users and organizations to implement security measures and updates to mitigate the potential risks posed by this critical Bluetooth security vulnerability.

Source: https://thehackernews.com/2023/12/new-bluetooth-flaw-let-hackers-take.html