Your wireless earbuds could be hacked and tracked if you don’t update them now

Security researchers warn that unpatched wireless earbuds and headphones could be vulnerable to tracking or hijacking! Here is what you must do right now.

Published By: Divya | Published: Jan 21, 2026, 06:48 PM (IST)

techlusive.in Written By article news — Written By Divya

You must be using your earbuds or headphones daily to listen to songs, binge-watch shows and movies or even scroll reels, unaware of the fact that these can be hacked too! Yes, new research shows Bluetooth earbuds or headphones may also come with a quiet security risk. Cybersecurity researchers have found vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to hijack popular Bluetooth audio devices, potentially enabling tracking or limited audio access if users don’t install the latest updates.Also Read: OpenAI’s First Audio Wearable May Launch In 2026 To Rival AirPods

The issue doesn’t affect just one brand or model. Instead, it’s tied to a convenience feature many Android users rely on daily. That means no matter whether you are using Boat, JBL, Samsung, Sennheiser, or any other major brand’s audio wearables, the issues remain the same for all. Also Read: 7 Value-For-Money Earbuds Under Rs 2,000 With ANC

What exactly went wrong

Researchers at KU Leuven University Computer Security, Belgium, and the Industrial Cryptography group suggest that the vulnerability is linked to Fast Pair, Google’s feature designed to make pairing Bluetooth devices quick and effortless. Fast Pair can be exploited in certain situations, allowing attackers nearby to silently connect to a victim’s earbuds or headphones.

These attacks, collectively referred to as WhisperPair, could let someone inject audio, disrupt calls, or in rare cases, track a device’s location using Google’s Find Hub, especially if the accessory was never linked to a Google account in the first place. Several popular headphones and earbuds were found to be vulnerable before patches were issued, including models from well-known audio brands.

Can hackers really listen to you?

That’s where things get more nuanced. While the idea sounds alarming, the real-world risk is limited. For an attack to work, the hacker needs to be physically nearby, within Bluetooth range, and the device must be powered on and in use.

Audio experts point out that headphone microphones are designed to focus on the wearer’s voice and block surrounding sounds. Tests show that once headphones are off your ears, they capture very little usable audio. So while microphone access is technically possible, using earbuds as spying tools isn’t very practical.