How to help prevent your Bluetooth devices being hacked

MANY of us now have a growing number of devices that communicate with each other over Bluetooth, if only to listen to music. This wireless communication standard is particularly vulnerable, as ill-intentioned individuals can sometimes hack into devices that are in close proximity. But certain precautions can be taken to help limit the risk.

Switch off Bluetooth

The golden rule is to always switch off Bluetooth on your connected devices when they are not in use.

This is not only a question of security, but also of power saving and battery life, because Bluetooth uses a lot of power.

As long as a device is turned on, it can be vulnerable, at best detected and at worst hacked by anyone, including at night -- and even more so in public spaces.

Watch out for unknowns

Do not accept suspicious pairing requests and restrict pairing to new purchases and products owned by people you trust, such as at a party or dinner with friends, for example.

Again, avoid pairing devices in public places.

Remember to remove

If the pairing is temporary, don't forget to remove the device in question from your list of paired devices afterwards. Similarly, if a connected device is lost or stolen, it should be unlinked from your various other devices.

In any case, you should check the list of recognized devices in your Bluetooth settings from time to time, to make sure that there are no intruders.

Keep up to date with updates

From device firmware to standalone applications, it's always necessary to keep on top of updates to keep everything functioning properly. Most of them correct security flaws, whether major or minor.

See also: Why you should encrypt your data on your computer and how to do it; Six ways to boost your home WiFi connection;

Make sure your connected devices are secure: six tips; and How to breathe new life into a sluggish smartphone.