Using the relatively inexpensive Flipper Zero hacking device, attackers have learned to attack the iPhone with an endless series of annoying pop-up windows offering to connect to AirTag, Apple TV, AirPods and other Apple products. It becomes simply impossible to use the device during the attack. The only salvation from an attack is to move the iPhone to a place where hackers’ signal can no longer reach it.
Image source: flipperzero.one
The possibility of such an attack shown Cyber security expert, who introduced himself as Anthony. Flipper Zero causes iPhone to constantly display pop-up windows, making normal phone use almost impossible – essentially a DDoS attack or hacking attack “Bluetooth Ad Attack”as Anthony described it. To achieve this, he specifically configured the Flipper Zero firmware and forced the device to send signals via the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol to connect the Apple Watch and other devices from the manufacturer, as well as transfer data via Bluetooth AirDrop. As Anthony put it: “Broadcast signals used by devices to announce their presence and capabilities”.
The editors of the TechCrunch resource managed to reproduce the attack on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 14 Pro. This required Pinball Zero itself and compiled code, the source of which was published by the author of the study. Immediately after turning on Bluetooth on the hacked device, pop-up windows appeared on nearby iPhones, prompting them to connect peripherals. To test the viability of the attack, scripts were used to impersonate a nearby AirTag tracker and AirDrop a phone number. Both attacks worked successfully, although the journalists were unable to reproduce the flood of reports.
Anthony reported that he was able to develop an improved model of such an attack, which was needed “enhanced fee”, able to transmit Bluetooth packets over a longer distance. However, he did not disclose the details of this method. “due to serious concerns” Abuse – it would allow spam messages to be sent within a radius of several kilometers. The researcher is sure that Apple itself can solve the problem: it is necessary to eliminate the possibility of faking the Bluetooth signal from branded devices and reduce the distance over which such a connection is possible.
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