VULNERABLITIES IN BLE DEVICES: IMPLEMENTING ATTACKS AND SECURITY

Originally developed in 1994, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices have become some of the most used and popular devices in everyday life, offering wireless connections within close ranges, versatility of use, energy efficiency, and continuous evolution. Smartwatches, speakers, GPS devices such as AirTags (© 2025 Apple Inc.), and even mobile payment devices with access to networks such as Square (© 2025 Blocks Inc.) are all BLE devices. Home security devices have recently become some of the most popular BLE devices with monitors, lighting controls, thermostats, door locks, doorbells, and even cameras being used in an increasing number of homes around the world.

However, BLE devices have a variety of vulnerabilities and can be easily exploited by threat actors. Using accessible and simple applications, threat actors can establish connections to a host device, such as a smartphone or laptop, through a Bluetooth device giving the threat actor the ability to intercept communications, extract sensitive data, or execute remote commands. Although the exact rate of attacks is unknown due to lack of compiled data, BLE attacks are on the rise, putting users at risk of exploitation.

Understanding vulnerabilities such as BLE Spoofing, Man-in-the-Middle attacks, and passive eavesdropping is crucial in mitigating the often-unknown risks of using BLE devices. This research aims to explore these threats by implementing the same tools and attacks that threat actors use to exploit BLE devices, and recommend practical security measures, including encryption, stronger authentication protocols, and device-pairing safeguards, to enhance protection for both users and manufacturers.