A new report from a German cybersecurity firm has uncovered serious security flaws in popular Bluetooth earbuds and headphones, potentially turning everyday audio devices into tools for eavesdropping.
At the TROOPERS 2025 conference, researchers from ERNW detailed vulnerabilities in Airoha Bluetooth chips — components found in many TWS earbuds and over-ear headphones from big brands like Sony, JBL, Bose. These flaws, listed as CVE-2025-20700, CVE-2025-20701, and CVE-2025-20702, carry high severity scores (8.8 and 9.6 on the CVSS scale) and allow hackers within Bluetooth range — roughly 10 meters — to access a device’s memory without needing to pair or authenticate.
According to technical details shared by ERNW on Insinuator.net, the issue stems from how Airoha’s proprietary protocol works across both Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Classic (BR/EDR) modes. With the right tools, an attacker could hijack a connection, steal link keys, impersonate a headset, or even take control of a connected smartphone. In one demo, researchers showed that it was possible to trigger redials or access call logs on an Android phone — and even activate the microphone, raising concerns over possible surveillance.
Devices reportedly affected include Sony’s WH-1000XM6, JBL Live Buds 3, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, and the Jabra Elite 8 Active, among others.
Below is a list of devices confirmed to be affected by the vulnerability.
- Beyerdynamic Amiron 300
- Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
- EarisMax Bluetooth Auracast Sender
- Jabra Elite 8 Active
- JBL Endurance Race 2
- JBL Live Buds 3
- Jlab Epic Air Sport ANC
- Marshall ACTON III
- Marshall MAJOR V
- Marshall MINOR IV
- Marshall MOTIF II
- Marshall STANMORE III
- Marshall WOBURN III
- MoerLabs EchoBeatz
- Sony CH-720N
- Sony Link Buds S
- Sony ULT Wear
- Sony WF-1000XM3
- Sony WF-1000XM4
- Sony WF-1000XM5
- Sony WF-C500
- Sony WF-C510-GFP
- Sony WH-1000XM4
- Sony WH-1000XM5
- Sony WH-1000XM6
- Sony WH-CH520
- Sony WH-XB910N
- Sony WI-C100
- Teufel Tatws2
Airoha issued a patched software development kit (SDK) on June 4, but as of June 30, no firmware updates have been rolled out by major brands. That’s partly due to a complex supply chain.
In the meantime, users are advised to:
- Regularly check the official apps (like Sony Headphones Connect or JBL Headphones) for firmware updates.
- Turn off Bluetooth in public places or sensitive environments, such as meetings.
- Avoid using Bluetooth headsets for sensitive conversations until updates are confirmed.
The discovery highlights how even trusted accessories can become weak links in digital privacy. With millions of affected devices in use, it’s now up to manufacturers to act quickly and secure them.
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