Securing Bluetooth Headphones (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 10 months ago by hellfire103@sopuli.xyz to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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I have a pair of Bluetooth headphones, which I have been using since 2022. Today, I was sitting on the bus when some random person connected to them and started playing Free Bird.

It was a bit funny, but I don't want this to become a regular thing. Is there a way of locking the headphones to certain Bluetooth addresses? Or a way of making it not show up automatically on phones (similar to a hidden WiFi network)?

The headphones in question are the JBL Tune 510, which have a USB-C port. However, I don't know if this can be used to flash firmware.

If there's already a comment telling me to "just use wired" or something, please don't tell me again. It's the best solution, but my phone doesn't have a headphone jack (fuck you, Apple).

Thanks!

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[-] LWD@lemm.ee 30 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

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[-] hellfire103@sopuli.xyz 9 points 10 months ago

Yeah, I think they go into discovery mode until they find a previously-paired device when you turn them on.

I'll double-check the manual.

[-] Stowaway@midwest.social 1 points 10 months ago

This is my experience with all BT headphones I've had. Maybe they do a quick short stint of searching for an existing device but then auto switch to pairing until a device connects.

[-] moody@lemmings.world 24 points 10 months ago

Is it at all common for BT headphones to be able to pair without specifically enabling pairing mode? I've never heard of that before.

Most headphones require you to hold down the power button when powering on to enable pairing.

[-] rolling_resistance@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Mine have a weird bug when I sometimes hear following messages one right after another after turning them on:

Connected – Disconnected – Pairing

[-] KarnaSubarna@lemmy.ml 12 points 10 months ago

I think it depends on headphone model/setup.

My Sennheiser Momentum 3 by default only look for devices that were paired up in the past.

It goes to (forced) discovery/pairing mode only when I press a specific button on headset manually.

Check manual of your headset for similar setup.

[-] Atemu@lemmy.ml 11 points 10 months ago

It’s the best solution, but my phone doesn’t have a headphone jack (fuck you, Apple).

You can buy a tiny DAC that plugs into the digital port of the phone.

[-] cirdanlunae@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 10 months ago

While a bit expensive, the Fiio BTR5 sounds phenomenal over USB

[-] ratman150@sh.itjust.works 9 points 10 months ago

Clearly the universe decided you needed to listen to Freebird lol

[-] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

It was a canon event

[-] j4k3@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

https://www.nist.gov/publications/guide-bluetooth-security-2

this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2024

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