Secret commands found in Bluetooth chip used in a billion devices
Researchers discovered what they're describing as a potential security issue that could affect a billion devices.

By Matt Binder on March 10, 2025

A potential security issue has been discovered by cybersecurity researchers that has the capability to affect more than one billion devices.

According to researchers at the cybersecurity firm Tarlogic, a hidden command has been found coded into a bluetooth chip installed in devices around the world. This secret functionality can be weaponized by bad actors and, according to the researchers, used as an exploit into these devices.

Using these commands, hackers could impersonate a trusted device and then connect to smartphones, computers, and other devices in order to access information stored on them. Bad actors can continue to utilize their connection to the device to essentially spy on users.

The bluetooth chip is called ESP32 and is manufactured by the China-based company Espressif. According to researchers, the ESP32 is "a microcontroller that enables WiFi and Bluetooth connection." In 2023, Espressif reported that one billion units of its ESP32 chip had been sold globally. Millions of IoT devices like smart appliances utilize this particular ESP32 chip.

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https://mashable.com/article/bluetooth-chip-cybersecurity-hidden-functionality-commands