Your headphones might be listening

Your headphones might be spying on you – And you’d never notice

You grab your headphones, connect them to your phone and start your day. Whether you’re walking through the city, working at a café or taking a call on the go, your headphones feel like a safe space. A private bubble of sound.

But what if someone else was listening too?

A new discovery has revealed that many of the most popular wireless headphones on the market can be misused by hackers to eavesdrop on you — and you wouldn’t even know it. These vulnerabilities let hackers spy on your conversations through compromised headphones, putting your privacy at risk. That sounds pretty alarming, especially considering how widely these headphones are used in everyday life.

Popular headphones from trusted brands are among the affected devices

This isn’t about some obscure or outdated product. It affects some of the biggest and most trusted names in the world of audio, spanning both entry level and flagship models.

Headphones from Sony, Bose, Marshall, Jabra, JBL and other well-known brands are on the list. In total, over 100 different models are believed to be affected. These affected devices include true wireless stereo earbuds, bluetooth headphones, and wireless microphones, covering a wide range of headphones and earbuds. Some of these are among the best-selling and most advanced flagship models available today. Device manufacturers are actively working to address these vulnerabilities through firmware updates and security patches.

The discovery comes from ERNW, a respected cybersecurity company based in Germany. Their researchers uncovered three vulnerabilities in the bluetooth chipset present in these devices, specifically in Airoha Systems-on-Chip (SoCs). These flaws in how these headphones handle wireless connections allow a person nearby to connect to your headphones without permission and use them in ways they were never meant to be used.

If this sounds familiar, it might be — similar concerns have already been raised about smart speakers. If you're interested in how other everyday devices can be used to listen in, read our article about how smart speakers can compromise your privacy.

What can actually happen due to missing authentication?

If someone takes advantage of this flaw, they can secretly access your headphones — without any warning or notification.

They could listen through the built-in microphone. They could start or handle receiving calls through your device. They could see parts of your contact list or recent calls. Attackers can also access your call history, contacts, and phone numbers.

Attackers can exploit the connection to your headphones to successfully eavesdrop on conversations, play media, or even install malware. These attack scenarios are possible due to critical capabilities in the Bluetooth protocol, which can be exploited by attackers or a threat actor with a high technical skill set or technical skill. Such cyber attacks can lead to data breaches, especially for high value targets in sensitive industries.

Most users can’t fix it themselves

The company behind the chip used in these headphones has created a fix, but it has to be passed on by each brand. Firmware updates are necessary to address the vulnerabilities in these devices. An updated SDK has been released to device manufacturers, enabling them to develop and deploy the required firmware updates that include crucial security mitigations. Right now, there are no known firmware updates available to users, and some devices may never receive one at all — especially if they’re older or lower-cost models.

That leaves millions of users exposed, without a clear way to protect themselves.

Who should be concerned?

If you use wireless headphones regularly, this is something to be aware of. But the risk is especially important for people who deal with sensitive or private information, particularly those working in sensitive industries such as diplomacy, journalism, activism, or high-level business.

That could be:

• Journalists

• Activists

• Politicians

• Business leaders

• Healthcare professionals

• Anyone working in government or security

These individuals are considered high value targets for attackers due to the sensitive nature of their work. The attack scenarios described are particularly relevant for these high value targets, as they often involve higher technical sophistication and can have significant consequences if exploited.

These people are more likely to be targets — and more likely to suffer consequences if their private conversations are overheard.

But that doesn’t mean the rest of us should ignore it. Just because you’re not a high-profile target doesn’t mean your privacy doesn’t matter.

What can you do about firmware updates?

Until updates are made available, here are some simple steps you can take:

• Turn off your headphones when you’re not using them

• Avoid using wireless headphones during private or sensitive conversations

• Be mindful when using Bluetooth in public places

• Use wired headphones as a safer alternative when needed

• Check your headphone brand’s website or app for any news about updates

These are not permanent solutions, but they can help you reduce your risk while we wait for the manufacturers to respond.

If you're looking for a more secure alternative to wireless technology, hardware security keys are becoming increasingly popular as a safer option for authentication and communication.

A broader reminder about digital privacy

We often think of phones and laptops when we talk about cybersecurity. But headphones, speakers, watches, even doorbells — they’re all smart now. And anything smart can be hacked.

This is not about fear. It’s about awareness. If we want the benefits of technology, we also have to understand the risks.

At Moxso, we believe privacy is not just a technical issue. It’s a human one. And that starts with asking better questions about the everyday devices we rely on.