Android Devices at Risk as new Malware Spreads Through Bluetooth

If you are not using the latest version of Android, then you should probably check and update to the latest update on your smartphone. As per security researchers at ERNW, a malware by the name of BlueFrag could have possibly made its way to your phone unless it is running on the latest Android 10 update. According to reports, BlueFrag lets miscreants silently deliver malware and steal data through Bluetooth from phones running on older versions of Android, including Android 8 Oreo or Android 9 Pie. The malware could possibly affect devices running on versions before Android 8, but there has been no evaluation of the impact on older releases.

All that the malware sender needs to know is the Bluetooth MAC (media access control) address of the target's smartphone. Further, the researchers at ERNW have asserted that one would not come to know when the attack is taking place. One can protect their device by downloading the latest February 2020 security patch. Also, considering the attack happens via Bluetooth, you need to be in close proximity of the attacker. Most of the affected devices have either lost software updates or do not receive them consistently.

Furthermore, the bigger issue is that search giant Google, only allows renowned phone makers to provide security updates for two years. This policy, which was enforced last year, has put a lot of Android users whose phones are running on a version older than Android 8 at higher risk. Also, considering a majority of people are still using devices with Android 9 or older, the malware could leave a large number of people exposed.