Researchers discover WhisperPair flaws in Google's Fast Pair Bluetooth protocol affecting 17 audio device models from Sony, JBL, Jabra and others; hackers within 50 feet can hijack microphones, inject audio, track locations in under 15 seconds—hundreds of millions of devices need patches via manufacturer apps most users never install.

Hundreds of Millions of Audio Devices Need a Patch to Prevent Wireless Hacking and Tracking

Flaws in how 17 models of headphones and speakers use Google’s one-tap Fast Pair Bluetooth protocol have left devices open to eavesdroppers and stalkers.Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff/Getty ImagesGoogle designed the wireless protocol known as Fast Pair to optimize for ultra-convenient connections: It lets users connect their Bluetooth gadgets with Android and ChromeOS devices in a single tap. Now one group of researchers has discovered that the same protocol can also enable hackers to connect w...