How To Hijack or Hack A Bluetooth Speaker? (SOLVED)

Are you traveling on a bus and feel the music on the deck sucks? Or maybe your neighbor is having a house party, and you can’t bear the noise? You can actually take over a Bluetooth speaker and play what you want. In this article, we will show you how to hijack a Bluetooth speaker. Read this article to learn more.

If your intention is just to override a Bluetooth speaker connection, please check this guide.

Can I Hijack or Hack A Bluetooth Speaker? (YES)

The first question you should ask yourself before you make this attempt is whether it is possible.

The answer is yes! It is possible to bypass the security of a Bluetooth speaker, hijack or hack it, and take complete control of what plays on the speaker. The process is, however, technical and has several security hurdles. 

Easy Methods to Hijack a Bluetooth Speaker

1. Level: Beginner – Press the Refresh Button

If you’re close to the speaker, press and hold the Bluetooth button for 2-3 seconds. This action can refresh the speaker’s connection with previously paired devices, enabling you to connect.

2. Level: Beginner – Pair with It Before Anyone Else

The easiest and simplest way to ‘hack’ or hijack a Bluetooth speaker is to be the first person to pair with the speaker. This way, you will have initial control over the Bluetooth speaker instead of anyone else. 

Of course, this is the weakest option because most Bluetooth speakers come with a PIN. However, if the one you are targeting does not have a PIN, you can connect to it once it’s not connected to another device. 

3. Level: Intermediate – Use a 2.4Ghz Jammer

Bluetooth operates on a 2.4Ghz frequency. By using a jammer on this frequency, you can overpower the Bluetooth connection, disrupting it temporarily. This interruption may give you a limited window to connect to the speaker.

Technical Solutions

1. Use a KNOB (Key Negotiation of Bluetooth) Attack

Level: Advanced 

A KNOB attack is a type of man-in-the-middle attack that can be used to hack Bluetooth devices.

KNOB attacks allow two Bluetooth devices that are paired together to connect without authentication.

What Is The Bluetooth KNOB Attack?

Bluetooth is a standard that allows two paired devices to negotiate. When the devices negotiate, one of the things they agree upon is encryption.

A Bluetooth KNOB attack or Key Negotiation of Bluetooth (KNOB) Attack exploits a severe vulnerability in the Bluetooth specification that allows anyone to break the security mechanisms of Bluetooth. 

Bluetooth devices request varying levels of security for the connection. This is beneficial for communication as it increases device compatibility and ensures that new devices can still communicate with old ones. 

However, the attack takes advantage of a flaw that makes it easier for an attacker to force two devices to use weak encryption. When this happens, the KNOB attack lowers the entropy of the link to 1 byte. 

Generally, the level of entropy determines how much the encryption changes over time, and it’s the most significant determinant of Bluetooth security.

When the encryption is weak, it changes sluggishly. As a result, it becomes much easier to hijack. Therefore, a nearby hacker can force your device to utilize weaker encryption when it connects, exposing it to their attack. 

For the KNOB attack to work, the hijacker must be physically close to the two Bluetooth devices you have connected. Additionally, he has a very short window of time to interrupt the handshake and force a different encryption method. 

How To Hijack A Bluetooth Speaker Using A KNOB Attack?

Hijacking a Bluetooth speaker, while possible, may not be straightforward. You can hack a Bluetooth speaker using Android, iPhone, or Linux. 

How To Jam A Bluetooth Speaker With Android Or iPhone

Escalate The Attack

You will be able to hijack a Bluetooth speaker by first escalating the KNOB attack. With KNOB opening the door, escalate the attack a step further by leveraging your access to the decrypted link in a controlled environment and hijacking the Bluetooth session. 

Set Up A Man In The Middle Attack

After using the KNOB to crack the link, escalate the attack by setting up a relay for the Man in the Middle (MITM). 

To complete the attack, you will need to write a Python script to modify the session running through the Man in the Middle relay before transmitting the altered packets. You can do this by changing the music stream that is sent to the speaker. 
Note that you will be able to take over the speaker without any indication to the victim that the session is under attack, apart from the change in the music or audio signal.

2. How To Hack Bluetooth Speaker With Kali Linux

Level: Expert

You will be able to hack a Bluetooth speaker with Btscanner in Kali Linux. You can use this tool to seize records from a Bluetooth device even without pairing.

Direct Access

Download the software, set it up, and search for the speaker device you intend to hijack. 

• Start your Bluetooth with the command: SYNTAX:-SERVICE BLUETOOTH START
• Open the btscanner using the command above 
• Follow the prompts 
• Select the arrow keys shown, and press enter for complete details about the device. 
• You can then perform any action, such as access and play music, with the device you selected. 

BlueZ

You can use a protocol stack like BlueZ to hack a Bluetooth speaker using Kali Linux or, in fact, most other Linux distros. The advantage of Kali Linux is that it will have BlueZ installed by default. For other distros, you can install BlueZ from the repository. 

BlueZ has a number of simple tools we can use to manage and eventually hack Bluetooth. These include:

• hciconfig: Similar to ifconfig in Linux, you can use it to bring up the Bluetooth interface (hci0) and query the device for its specs.
• hcitool: You can use this tool to inquire about the device name, device ID, device class, and the device clock.
• hcidump: This tool enables us to sniff Bluetooth communication.

How To Get Kali Linux?

You can get Kali for free at Kali.com. Of course, you need to download and install it. Otherwise, you can get an already loaded form of Kali Linux in the form of a Kali Linux bootable USB drive.

3. How To Hack Bluetooth Speaker With Metasploit

Level: Expert

Metasploit is a penetration testing framework that came out of the Metasploit Project. The Metasploit Project is a computer security project that provides information about security vulnerabilities and aids in penetration testing and IDS signature development.

Metasploit includes a module called “bluetooth_hcidump” that can be used to exploit Bluetooth devices. It is used to capture and analyze Bluetooth packets.

To use Metasploit to hack a Bluetooth speaker, you will need to follow the procedure below:

1. Use the “btscanner” tool to find Bluetooth devices that are open and vulnerable to attacks.
2. Find any vulnerable Bluetooth device that is connected to the internet.
3. Use the “bluetooth_hcidump” exploit to take over the device.

What Do I Need To Hack A Bluetooth Speaker With Android Or iPhone Successfully?

You will need some of the following software packages, a Raspberry Pi 3B+, and a rooted Nexus 5 smartphone. 

Internalblue

This is a testbed that offers researchers the ability to get low-level Bluetooth access to devices. It can log traffic, send packets, dump memory, set breakpoints, push assembly points, and offer many more functionalities. 

Gatttool

This is a utility for exploring Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices. It is a modern offshoot of Bluetooth core standards with specific power-saving features.

Researchers are particularly interested in the Bluetooth Low Energy standard because it permits users to poll devices for information even if they are not paired. 

Btproxy

It helps researchers build a MITM relay that supports the analysis of traffic between two devices. Hijackers use btproxy to eavesdrop on Bluetooth devices and inject their data into the connection. 

If you are a Bluetooth systems researcher or want to try some Bluetooth hacks, these utilities will help you execute your plan uninterrupted. 

Bluetooth Speaker Hack APK

An APK, or Android Package Kit, is the file format for apps on the Android operating system. APK files can be downloaded from the internet and can be installed on your phone as regular apps.

However, these APKs are normally not tested for security and other means of protection by the Play Store, so you will have to use them at your own risk. 

There are many Bluetooth hack APKs available on the internet. However, we suggest that you do not install any APK without first knowing if the source is reputable and secure.

How To Hack a Bluetooth Speaker With Termux

Termux is a terminal emulator app for Android and other Linux-based systems. This app can be used on your Android to hack a Bluetooth speaker, but your device must be rooted. To hack a Bluetooth speaker using Termux, follow the steps similar to how you would hack the speaker with Kali Linux.

Why Is It So Hard To Perform Bluetooth Hacks?

As we’ve already mentioned, hacking a neighbor’s Bluetooth speaker may not be such an easy task. This is because Bluetooth hacking requires you to be present during Bluetooth device pairing. Otherwise, you must force the devices to pair again. 

However, forcing devices to pair again requires you to take advantage of a hardware vulnerability or interrupt the connection by blasting it with noise.

Moreover, Bluetooth has robust systems that prevent any form of re-pairing attacks and require attackers to expose themselves by using high-power multi-channel frequency jammers to generate enough noise to guarantee an interruption. Besides, it is illegal to use any jamming device. 

How Can I Secure My Bluetooth Speaker From Attack?

In the same way that some people can gain unauthorized access to Bluetooth speakers for ethical reasons, others might do so for unethical reasons.

You need to find the best ways to protect your Bluetooth speaker against security and data flaws. Follow the guidelines below to secure your Bluetooth devices:

• Avoid having sensitive conversations over your Bluetooth devices.
• Avoid using Bluetooth internet adapters.
• Don’t use Bluetooth devices when communicating with virtual assistants.
• When buying Bluetooth devices, look for those with Bluetooth 5.1 and above.
• Disable Bluetooth on your computer and phone when not in use.

For a more detailed approach, please check out our guide on how to prevent unauthorized access to a Bluetooth speaker. 

If all the above fails and someone gains access to your Bluetooth speaker, you can always follow our guide on how to kick someone off your Bluetooth speaker.