If I pair my Android phone and my laptop, I can share files over Bluetooth from the phone to the laptop. I’ve started finding this a really convenient method for me to send files to a Linux laptop without needing to install a separate app on either the phone or my laptop. Especially when I’m away from my home network (I use SFTP at home).
How secure is this? Is there encryption by default and could someone else nearby with a receiver potentially decode the file you’re sending?
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Heads up, I know you said “without additional apps,” but check out KDEconnect, it’s pretty sweet.
I’ve been using Flying Carpet, and it works pretty well. You can read about the encryption decisions further down the ReadMe.
https://github.com/spieglt/FlyingCarpet?tab=readme-ov-file
It utilizes the LocalOnlyHotspot API, and the data is encrypted in transit (and any potential hacker would have to be on the WPA2-protected network that’s generated, anyway). I recommend reading more about it yourself and not just taking my word for it.
Couldn’t you just directly transfer files via a USB cable? Last time I checked, you don’t need any software for Android <–> Windows, or Android <–> Linux.
No, thanks:
It uses a WebRTC peer-to-peer connection. WebRTC needs a signaling server that is only used to establish a connection. The server is not involved in the file transfer.
If your devices are paired and behind a NAT, the PairDrop TURN Server is used to route your files and messages.
It’s actually entirely horse shit.
Only the very newest products that are on the latest standard are secure.
It all look secure and sounds secure and feels secure with all the encryption….
But about 2 years ago there was a downgrade attack that was proven to affect basically everything.
Bluetooth security might as well be a flashing neon sign of your data.
Now it’s not quite that simple and some people have updated their devices etc……
But almost nobody actually has done that because Bluetooth devices are “fire and forget”
I mean when’s the last time you updated the firmware on your headphones or keyboard?
Mostly “never”
But its between Android and a Laptop, surely OP update those, right?
Android will update and restart your shit without consent at night so your phone doesn’t fully boot and your alarm doesn’t go off. Ask how I know.
There’s a way (at least on samsung) to disable auto updates.
Turn off “Auto update over wifi”, then mark all wifi networks as “metered”. Voila! The system will treat wifi as mobile data and not auto download the update.
Btw, in modern android versions, alarm will work in BFU (Before First Unlock) mode if you use the system clock app. (
third-party alarm apps will not work in BFU modeActually, third-party alarm apps do work)Then there’s a nonzero chance I coincidentally slept through it or shut it off while sleeping.
It is encrypted, but the security of the encryption varies between implementations (some have been found to generate keys insecurely or screw up session management, etc). For most modern devices it’s decent, as long as you’re not actively targeted by some kind of intel agency
