Unknown Bluetooth connection request. Cancelled request but connected anyway?

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Level 1

17 points

Unknown Bluetooth connection request. Cancelled request but connected anyway?

I just received a Bluetooth notification and I've never seen one like it before. I can't seem to find the wording when I search online either. I'm on 10.13.5.

I haven't requested to connect anything, so after a few seconds, I click Cancel. Weird thing is that when I look up at my Bluetooth symbol, it has the three ... across it which I believe suggests a connection. When I clicked on the Bluetooth, it shows a Samsung S8 bolded. I don't know anyone who has a Samsung. I turned Bluetooth off straight away. I've turned it back on and it's not connected or requesting to connect. It also doesn't show up in my System Preferences > Bluetooth Devices menu.

A few questions come to mind: Did it connect? Why would it show as connected if I had clicked Cancel? Why have Cancel as an option, if the connection is still allowed? I didn't check whether Bluetooth was paired before the notice appeared, so could that have just displayed that way while it was requesting access?

In the few seconds (maybe two?) that my MBP and the Samsung phone connected, could anything have happened to my computer (been transferred to or from?) that wouldn't have been stopped when I turned Bluetooth off?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13.5)

Posted on Jul 21, 2018 5:44 PM

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Answer 1

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Almojgar

Level 2

426 points

Jul 21, 2018 9:01 PM in response to patronus.

Nobody dares to answer? 😁 OK, let's go...

Hi,

If all your settings of Security & Privacy on your Mac are still set to "default" settings, a Bluetooth attack (assuming the guy itself as even noticed anything...) can only manage to access your 'Public' (and possibly 'DropBox') folder (assuming that you regularly allow your other "clients" Bluetooth to access there, and that a door may have been, consequently, left open). Otherwise, by Bluetooth, on a Mac, not a chance. Actually you risk considerably more for your privacy every time you establish any "secure" connection by https.... or give willingly all your biography and genealogy to Facebook....

Regards

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