If I pair my Android phone and my laptop, I can share files over Bluetooth from the phone to the laptop. I’ve started finding this a really convenient method for me to send files to a Linux laptop without needing to install a separate app on either the phone or my laptop. Especially when I’m away from my home network (I use SFTP at home).

How secure is this? Is there encryption by default and could someone else nearby with a receiver potentially decode the file you’re sending?

      • llii@discuss.tchncs.de
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        10 hours ago

        No, thanks:

        It uses a WebRTC peer-to-peer connection. WebRTC needs a signaling server that is only used to establish a connection. The server is not involved in the file transfer.

        If your devices are paired and behind a NAT, the PairDrop TURN Server is used to route your files and messages.

        • Deckweiss@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          2 hours ago

          What’s so bad about servers?

          Both are open source.

          The signaling server just sees the IPs of your devices and matches them by roomID.

          The turn server sees only locally encrypted files and your IPs (and it is used only IF you are behind a NAT).

          As far as I see, there is no way for anything bad happening, but I am happy to learn if you know something. If you need it for a proof, I’d gladly give you some of my IPs and encrypted files - see what you can do with them.

          • kekmacska@lemmy.zip
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            42 minutes ago

            I’d rather not upload my files on remote servers. No matter if open source or no