Mobile Threat Catalogue

Bluetooth Encryption Brute-Force

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Threat Category: Network Threats: Bluetooth

ID: LPN-11

Threat Description: Brute-force decryption of Bluetooth 4.0 or older communication due to weak BR/EDR encryption algorithm.

Threat Origin

Guide to Bluetooth Security (SP 800-121) 1

Exploit Examples

Not Applicable

CVE Examples

Not Applicable

Possible Countermeasures

Mobile Device User

To resist brute-force decryption attacks, use the maximum PIN length and encryption key sizes available on configurable Bluetooth devices.

Restrict the use of older Bluetooth devices with a static or 4-digit PIN to very low-risk use cases.

To prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification to data transmitted over a compromised Bluetooth session, use Bluetooth applications that provide strong over-the-top encryption to data prior to transmission over the Bluetooth interface.

Enterprise

Restrict the use of older Bluetooth devices with a static or 4-digit PIN to very low-risk use cases.

To prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification to data transmitted over a compromised Bluetooth session, use Bluetooth applications that provide strong over-the-top encryption to data prior to transmission over the Bluetooth interface.

References

  1. J. Padgette, K. Scarfone and L. Chen, Guide to Bluetooth Security, SP 800-121 rev. 1, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2012; http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-121-rev1/sp800-121_rev1.pdf [accessed 8/24/2016]