How did hackers wiretap owners of AirPods and Beats headphones?

There was a serious vulnerability in AirPods and Beats headphones, due to which hackers were able to wiretap users. As MacRumors reports, Apple has now fixed this vulnerability.

How did the vulnerability work?

When a user turned on the headset and the headset searched for the phone it was previously paired with via Bluetooth, hackers could easily create a fake version of that phone and gain access to the headset, then use it as they wished, including listening to the victim's conversations.

This issue also affected all AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max models, except for the first-generation AirPods. For its branded accessories, Apple fixed the problem with update 5E133, which was released last month. Later, the company also released another update for its headphones, 5E135, but there is no information yet on what other changes this update entails.

As for Beats Fit Pro and Powerbeats Pro headphones, update 5B66 will fix the issue on these devices.

Both AirPods and Beats automatically receive updates when paired with iOS or macOS devices.

If, however, you're using headphones connected to an Android device, you'll have to manually update Beats via  it’s namesake app. Until then, your headset will be vulnerable to hackers who can listen to your conversations.