AirBorne and Dangerous: Hacking Through the Soundwaves

Researchers Uncover Bugs in Apple’s AirPlay, Risking Takeover of Smart Devices Anviksha More (AnvikshaMore) • April 29, 2025

Vulnerabilities in wireless streaming protocol AirPlay could expose Apple operating system devices to remote code execution by enabling attackers to infiltrate networks through trusted connections.

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Researchers at cybersecurity firm Oligo disclosed a set of vulnerabilities they dubbed "AirBorne" that target the wireless protocol. The flaws, found in the software development kit used by third-party manufacturers, could allow attackers on the same Wi-Fi network to take control of AirPlay-enabled devices such as speakers, smart TVs and set-top boxes.

With "the number of third-party audio devices that support AirPlay can be estimated in the 10s of millions," the vulnerabilities pose several security risks, including remote code execution. Other potential threats include bypassing access control mechanisms, unauthorized file access and ...