CVE-2021-38548: Medium severity JBL Go 2 Firmware vulnerability

Published Aug 11, 2021
·
Updated

JBL Go 2 devices through 2021-08-09 allow remote attackers to recover speech signals from an LED on the device, via a telescope and an electro-optical sensor, aka a "Glowworm" attack. The power indicator LED of the speakers is connected directly to the power line, as a result, the intensity of a device's power indicator LED is correlative to the power consumption. The sound played by the speakers affects their power consumption and as a result is also correlative to the light intensity of the LEDs. By analyzing measurements obtained from an electro-optical sensor directed at the power indicator LEDs of the speakers, we can recover the sound played by them.

Affected Software

4 affected components
JBL Go 2 Firmware<=2021-08-09
JBL Go 2
All of the following
JBL Go 2 Firmware<=2021-08-09
JBL Go 2

Event History

Aug 11, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:24 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:24 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·04:15 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2021-38548?

CVE-2021-38548 is classified as a high-severity vulnerability due to its potential for exploitation by remote attackers.

2

How do I fix CVE-2021-38548?

To mitigate CVE-2021-38548, users should update their JBL Go 2 devices to the latest firmware released after August 9, 2021.

3

What does CVE-2021-38548 allow attackers to do?

CVE-2021-38548 allows remote attackers to recover speech signals from the JBL Go 2 device's LED using a telescope and an electro-optical sensor.

4

Which devices are affected by CVE-2021-38548?

CVE-2021-38548 affects JBL Go 2 devices with firmware versions prior to the update released on August 9, 2021.

5

Is the JBL Go 2 hardware itself vulnerable in CVE-2021-38548?

No, the JBL Go 2 hardware is not inherently vulnerable; the issue lies within the firmware versions up to August 9, 2021.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203