4 ms·

I was under the impression that having Bluetooth enabled at all was a security risk. Do people actually use Bluetooth?

humanistbot 5y ago
This seems like a very out of touch question. Bluetooth is ubiquitous. Flagship smartphones can't even listen to headphones without bluetooth. Smartwatches use bluetooth. Hell, my herbal vaporizer has a BLE connection for setting the temperature and checking battery.
- Aerroon 5y ago
  The reason I ask is because I find Bluetooth to be a detractor from every product you mentioned. I would consider not using them because they use Bluetooth.
_jal 5y ago
Depends on your threat model. Generally probably not, but there's always a risk, and network stacks are not becoming simpler. There are disclosure risks - bluetooth trackers are common in retail stores. I disable Bluetooth on almost everything, not so much for "security" as because I don't need it, so there's no reason for it. I don't like things in my ears, so it is of no benefit to me on my phone, and I don't feel a burning desire to provide real-world unique identifiers to in-store surveillance, so I don't. I also don't use a wireless keyboard or other toys like that, so my other machines don't need it either. Last use I had for Bluetooth was getting data from a battery charger. That lasted long enough for me to discover I didn't care about the data.
throwawayboise 5y ago
First thing I disable on any device.
K7PJP 5y ago
Apple along has sold over well over 100 million AirPods, and there's a large market of other Bluetooth accessories. So, yes, Bluetooth is a very widely used popular wireless technology. I'm typing this on a Bluetooth keyboard, while wearing an Bluetooth-connected Watch. Apple's Handoff and Continuity features across devices are of great benefit to me every day.
hu3 5y ago
It's popular. But I keep it disabled as much as possible. Cables are more reliable, dont disconnect, dont have delays or hiccups and require no battery.
propogandist 5y ago
Apple makes an effort to keep bluetooth and wifi always-on by requiring the user to go into settings to turn the settings off. The control center (quick setting toggles) does not fully turn off wifi nor bluetooth. If either is toggled off, the phone turns both on automatically back around midnight. The iphone also can connect to devices like airpods via bluetooth while being in the 'pretend off' state.

This seems like a very out of touch question. Bluetooth is ubiquitous. Flagship smartphones can't even listen to headphones without bluetooth. Smartwatches use bluetooth. Hell, my herbal vaporizer has a BLE connection for setting the temperature and checking battery.

Aerroon 5y ago
The reason I ask is because I find Bluetooth to be a detractor from every product you mentioned. I would consider not using them because they use Bluetooth.

_jal 5y ago

Depends on your threat model. Generally probably not, but there's always a risk, and network stacks are not becoming simpler. There are disclosure risks - bluetooth trackers are common in retail stores. I disable Bluetooth on almost everything, not so much for "security" as because I don't need it, so there's no reason for it. I don't like things in my ears, so it is of no benefit to me on my phone, and I don't feel a burning desire to provide real-world unique identifiers to in-store surveillance, so I don't. I also don't use a wireless keyboard or other toys like that, so my other machines don't need it either. Last use I had for Bluetooth was getting data from a battery charger. That lasted long enough for me to discover I didn't care about the data.

throwawayboise 5y ago

First thing I disable on any device.

K7PJP 5y ago

Apple along has sold over well over 100 million AirPods, and there's a large market of other Bluetooth accessories. So, yes, Bluetooth is a very widely used popular wireless technology. I'm typing this on a Bluetooth keyboard, while wearing an Bluetooth-connected Watch. Apple's Handoff and Continuity features across devices are of great benefit to me every day.

hu3 5y ago

It's popular. But I keep it disabled as much as possible. Cables are more reliable, dont disconnect, dont have delays or hiccups and require no battery.

propogandist 5y ago

Apple makes an effort to keep bluetooth and wifi always-on by requiring the user to go into settings to turn the settings off. The control center (quick setting toggles) does not fully turn off wifi nor bluetooth. If either is toggled off, the phone turns both on automatically back around midnight. The iphone also can connect to devices like airpods via bluetooth while being in the 'pretend off' state.