Bluesnarfing: How Hackers Are Using Bluetooth to Steal Personal Data From Your Smartphone, and How to Protect Yourself”.

Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their tactics in order to steal personal data like passwords and emails, which can be used for blackmail or scams. Even the simplest functions of your computer or mobile device can be compromised, leaving us all vulnerable to security risks. Recently, the Spanish National Police issued a warning about a threat called bluesnarfing, where hackers use Bluetooth connections on smartphones to access personal data, messages, and multimedia files. Because Bluetooth is often enabled by default on many devices, these types of attacks are made easier.

To protect yourself from bluesnarfing, it is recommended to deactivate Bluetooth when not in use to prevent unauthorized devices from connecting to your phone and reducing the risk of being hacked. Additionally, adjusting the Bluetooth settings on an Android device to limit the number of simultaneous connections can improve security, although this setting may not be visible by default and requires enabling developer options on your device. Steps to adjust these settings include:

1. Open Settings > Connections > Bluetooth & Other devices > Turn off Bluetooth

2. Tap on “Advanced” in the top right corner of the screen

3. Scroll down and tap on “Bluetooth” under “Other devices”

4. Toggle the switch next to “Simultaneous pairing” off

5. Save changes by tapping “OK”. By following these steps to limit simultaneous Bluetooth connections on your device, you can enhance your security against potential hacks.

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