From Pixel Buds to PowerShell: Automating Headphone Firmware Audits Across Your Fleet

Hook — You manage hundreds (or thousands) of endpoints. Are their Bluetooth headphones silently exposing you?

Security teams, IT asset managers and procurement leads have a new item to inventory: Bluetooth audio accessories. The WhisperPair disclosures in late 2025 showed how improper Fast Pair implementations let attackers hijack microphones and track devices. For 2026, auditors expect a scanned, validated inventory of headphone models, firmware revisions, and Fast Pair status before you can declare compliance.

Executive summary — what this article gives you (fast)

• A pragmatic automation architecture to discover Bluetooth headsets on Windows and Linux endpoints and Android devices.
• PowerShell scripts to enumerate Bluetooth LE devices, read Device Information Service (DIS) characteristics (Model, Manufacturer, FirmwareRevision), and detect Fast Pair advertising metadata.
• Recipes to report findings into a CMDB (ServiceNow example) and to enforce compliance rules (alert/patch/quarantine).
• Notes on limitations, privacy, and recommended 2026 policy controls.

Why this matters in 2026

Fast Pair vulnerabilities (WhisperPair) disclosed in 2025 prompted vendors to ship firmware updates and platform mitigations through late 2025 and early 2026. But patched and unpatched devices coexist. Accessories like Pixel Buds, Sony WH series, and others are both ubiquitous and frequently connected to corporate laptops — a high-value risk vector.

"In less than 15 seconds, we can hijack your device," — KU Leuven researcher, describing WhisperPair attacks.

Automated, repeatable detection is essential to close that risk at fleet scale. Manual checks don’t cut it — you need scripts that run as scheduled tasks, Proactive Remediations in Intune, or part of endpoint compliance scans that feed your CMDB.

Design pattern: discovery → read → report → act

Use a simple pipeline on each endpoint:

1. Discover connected and nearby Bluetooth LE audio devices.
2. Read Device Information Service (standard BLE DIS characteristics) and advertising data to collect Model, Manufacturer, FirmwareRevision and Fast Pair metadata.
3. Normalize & validate against your vulnerability list (e.g., WhisperPair-affected builds) and vendor advisories.
4. Report to your CMDB via REST API in JSON for compliance dashboards and remediation workflows.

Prerequisites and scope

• Windows 10/11 endpoints with Bluetooth radio and PowerShell 7+ (recommended). Works with PowerShell 5.1 but examples target modern runtime.
• Linux endpoints can use BlueZ tools (bluetoothctl, gatttool) — recipe included.
• Android device inventory: if you manage phones via Android Enterprise/Intune, query accessory info via MDM APIs; otherwise adb + USB/OTG for spot checks.
• CMDB with REST ingest (the sample shows ServiceNow but you can adapt to any platform).

PowerShell: enumerate Bluetooth LE devices (discovery)

On modern Windows you can use the Windows Runtime Bluetooth APIs from PowerShell to watch BLE advertisements and enumerate paired/connected devices. The following function lists nearby BLE devices and caches advertisement data so you can identify Fast Pair-capable devices (via advertised metadata or service UUIDs).

function Get-BleAdvertisements {
  param($TimeoutSeconds = 10)
  Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Runtime.WindowsRuntime
  $watcherType = [Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.Advertisement.BluetoothLEAdvertisementWatcher, Windows.Devices.Bluetooth, ContentType = WindowsRuntime]
  $watcher = [Activator]::CreateInstance($watcherType)
  $results = @{}

  $handler = [Windows.Foundation.TypedEventHandler[object,object]]{
    param($sender, $args)
    try {
      $adv = $args.Advertisement
      $addr = $args.BluetoothAddress.ToString('X')
      $records = @()
      foreach ($m in $adv.ManufacturerData) { $records += @{CompanyId = $m.CompanyId; Data = $m.Data.ToArray()} }
      foreach ($s in $adv.ServiceUuids) { $records += @{Service = $s} }
      $results[$addr] = @{Address=$addr; LocalName=$adv.LocalName; Records=$records}
    } catch { }
  }

  $watcher.add_Received($handler)
  $watcher.Start()
  Start-Sleep -Seconds $TimeoutSeconds
  $watcher.Stop()
  return $results.Values
}

Run this to quickly see nearby devices and any manufacturer/service data that suggest Fast Pair. Fast Pair-enabled accessories advertise companion metadata — capturing and parsing manufacturer data is a reliable sign.

PowerShell: read GATT Device Information Service (DIS)

Most headphones that support BLE expose the Device Information Service (DIS, standard GATT service) with these characteristics:

• 0x2A29: Manufacturer Name
• 0x2A24: Model Number
• 0x2A26: Firmware Revision String

The script below connects to a BluetoothLEDevice and attempts to read these characteristics. It’s the most reliable way to pull a firmware string when the vendor implements DIS correctly.

function Get-HeadsetDIS {
  param([UInt64]$BluetoothAddress)
  Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Runtime.WindowsRuntime
  $btType = [Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.BluetoothLEDevice, Windows.Devices.Bluetooth, ContentType = WindowsRuntime]
  $device = [Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.BluetoothLEDevice]::FromBluetoothAddressAsync($BluetoothAddress).GetAwaiter().GetResult()
  if (-not $device) { return $null }

  $disGuid = [Guid]::Parse('0000180a-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb')
  $services = $device.GetGattServicesForUuidAsync($disGuid).GetAwaiter().GetResult()
  if ($services.Services.Count -eq 0) { return $null }
  $svc = $services.Services[0]

  $charRead = @{ Manufacturer='00002a29-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb'; Model='00002a24-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb'; Firmware='00002a26-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb' }
  $out = @{Address = $BluetoothAddress; Name = $device.Name}

  foreach ($k in $charRead.Keys) {
    $g = $svc.GetCharacteristicsForUuidAsync([Guid]::Parse($charRead[$k])).GetAwaiter().GetResult()
    if ($g.Characteristics.Count -eq 0) { $out[$k] = $null; continue }
    $ch = $g.Characteristics[0]
    $r = $ch.ReadValueAsync().GetAwaiter().GetResult()
    if ($r.Status -eq 'Success') { $reader = [Windows.Storage.Streams.DataReader]::FromBuffer($r.Value); $bytes = New-Object byte[] ($r.Value.Length); $reader.ReadBytes($bytes); $out[$k] = [System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString($bytes).Trim() }
    else { $out[$k] = $null }
  }
  return $out
}

Notes:

• Permissions: script must run in a user session that has Bluetooth access (or use a service account approach where appropriate).
• Some headsets require pairing before they expose DIS. For passive discovery (no pairing), rely on advertisement data where possible.

Putting it together: inventory function and JSON output

function Get-HeadphoneInventory {
  param($Timeout = 8)
  $ads = Get-BleAdvertisements -TimeoutSeconds $Timeout
  $inventory = @()
  foreach ($a in $ads) {
    # Parse address hex to UInt64
    $addr = [UInt64]::Parse($a.Address, 'HexNumber')
    $dis = Get-HeadsetDIS -BluetoothAddress $addr
    $inventory += [PSCustomObject]@{
      DeviceAddress = $a.Address
      LocalName = $a.LocalName
      Manufacturer = $dis.Manufacturer
      Model = $dis.Model
      FirmwareRevision = $dis.Firmware
      AdvertRecords = $a.Records
      SeenAt = (Get-Date).ToString('o')
    }
  }
  $inventory | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 5
}

Sample output (truncated)

[
  {"DeviceAddress":"A31B2C3D4E5F","LocalName":"Pixel Buds Pro 2","Manufacturer":"Google","Model":"PixelBudsPro2","FirmwareRevision":"1.23.4"},
  {"DeviceAddress":"B12C3D4E5F6A","LocalName":"WH-1000XM6","Manufacturer":"Sony","Model":"WH-1000XM6","FirmwareRevision":"2.11.0"}
]

Detecting Fast Pair status

Fast Pair uses BLE advertising to deliver companion metadata. While vendor specifics vary, you can detect Fast Pair-capable accessories by inspecting the advertisement ManufacturerData and Service UUIDs captured with the advertisement watcher. For an authoritative decision, cross-reference with vendor advisories or do server-side lookup of the device model against a maintained list of Fast Pair-enabled SKUs.

Linux recipe (BlueZ): gatttool / bluetoothctl

On Linux, use BlueZ tools. Example to read DIS characteristic 0x2A26 using gatttool:

# scan, pair if needed
sudo bluetoothctl -- timeout 10 scan on
# connect
sudo gatttool -b AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -I
[AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF][LE]> connect
[AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF][LE]> char-read-uuid 00002a26-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb

Parse the returned hex bytes to ASCII for the firmware string. Automate with expect or Python/pydbus for fleet scripts.

Android endpoints (Pixel Buds): ADB and MDM options

Pixel Buds firmware is often updated through Fast Pair and companion apps on Android. For managed Android devices:

• Use Android Enterprise / Intune APIs to pull device inventory and installed companion apps. Vendors may expose firmware state through their companion app telemetry.
• For one-off audits, use ADB to dump Bluetooth GATT state when the accessory is connected. Example ADB commands:

adb shell dumpsys bluetooth_manager
adb shell dumpsys bluetooth_gatt
# Look for the Device Information Service and 0x2A26

Practical note: Pixel Buds often show firmware only inside the vendor app or via Google Play services; where DIS is not exposed, rely on vendor telemetry or Fast Pair metadata and manage via MDM/remote compliance APIs.

Reporting to a CMDB (ServiceNow example)

Once you have JSON from Get-HeadphoneInventory, push it to a CMDB. The pattern is:

1. Normalize fields: DeviceAddress, Model, FirmwareRevision, FastPair=true/false, EndpointId.
2. POST to a CMDB ingest endpoint over HTTPS with basic or token auth.
3. Run periodic jobs that compare firmware strings against a vulnerability table and open incidents for non-compliant devices.

function Send-To-ServiceNow {
  param($JsonPayload, $Instance, $User, $Pass)
  $uri = "https://$Instance.service-now.com/api/now/table/x_my_company_headset_inventory"
  $b = [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8.GetBytes("$User`:$Pass")
  $auth = "Basic " + [System.Convert]::ToBase64String($b)
  Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $uri -Method Post -Body $JsonPayload -ContentType 'application/json' -Headers @{Authorization=$auth}
}

# Usage
$payload = Get-HeadphoneInventory
Send-To-ServiceNow -JsonPayload $payload -Instance 'devops' -User 'svc_cmdb' -Pass 's3cret'

Compliance rules and remediation

Create a small compliance rule engine on the server side:

• Match Model + FirmwareRevision against your vulnerability table (maintain a list from vendor advisories).
• If vulnerable, trigger actions: notify owner, block network access, open ticket, or push an MDM policy to prevent pairing.
• For Fast Pair-detected devices, prioritize verification — attackers may exploit Fast Pair bugs without visible signs.

Automating at scale: deployment patterns

• Intune Proactive Remediations: schedule the PowerShell script as a detection and remediation pair. Upload results via REST to CMDB.
• Endpoint agent (Elastic Fleet, CrowdStrike, etc.): embed the inventory script into normal telemetry pipelines.
• For remote or non-Windows devices, use MDM APIs (Android Enterprise, Apple MDM) to collect accessory telemetry.
• Centralize vendor advisories: feed a vulnerability feed (CSV/JSON) of affected models and firmware ranges into your compliance engine.

Operational challenges & mitigations

1) Not all vendors expose DIS or firmware strings

Mitigation: rely on advertisement metadata and model number; coordinate with procurement to require DIS/firmware telemetry or MDM-friendly companion apps.

2) User privacy and consent

Mitigation: document the inventory purpose in your AUP, limit data collected (avoid audio or microphone data), and store only model/firmware hashes + endpoint identifier.

3) Devices only show firmware in vendor cloud

Mitigation: integrate vendor APIs (Google Fast Pair server-side APIs for Pixel Buds) where available, or require employees to keep companion apps updated and enable telemetry.

Case study — rolling this out for a 5,000-seat enterprise (example)

Problem: security team must verify no corporate laptop connects to an unpatched Fast Pair-vulnerable headset.

1. Week 1: pilot 200 devices — deploy PowerShell script as Proactive Remediation in Intune. Send results to a temporary CMDB table.
2. Week 2: analyze results, map models to vendor advisories. Create vulnerable list and classify severity (high/medium/low).
3. Week 3–4: produce remediation playbooks — push firmware updates via vendor apps where possible, email owners to update headphones, block network access when necessary.
4. Ongoing: daily scheduled scans and vulnerability feed synchronization. Reduce false positives by whitelisting verified patched firmware strings.

Outcome: within a month, the security team reduced exposed headsets by 92% and created a persistent inventory in the CMDB for future audits.

2026 trends and what to expect next

• Accessory attestation: expect more vendors to ship hardware-backed attestation for accessories so firmware provenance can be validated.
• Platform mitigations: Windows and Android will continue to harden Fast Pair handling; still, vendor firmware lag means auditing remains necessary.
• Supply-chain checks: procurement will demand SBOM-like disclosures from accessory vendors.
• CMDB integrations: CMDBs will natively support accessory classes and vulnerability escalations for BLE devices.

Action plan checklist (ready to implement)

1. Deploy the inventory script as a scheduled job or Intune Proactive Remediation.
2. Feed results to your CMDB with the sample REST pattern.
3. Maintain a vendor advisory table and map models to affected firmware ranges.
4. Automate remediation actions (tickets, notifications, network isolation) when vulnerable firmware is detected.
5. Review procurement policies to require DIS or MDM-surfaceable firmware for future purchases.

Limitations and final technical notes

Reading DIS only works when the device exposes it — many vendors do, but some rely on closed companion apps. Fast Pair metadata detection relies on parsing manufacturer data in advertisements; be ready for vendor-specific encodings. Always validate findings server-side and correlate with vendor advisories — don’t assume a firmware string equals vulnerability without cross-checking.

Key takeaways

• Automated inventory of Bluetooth headsets is feasible using PowerShell + Windows Runtime or BlueZ tools and is essential post-WhisperPair.
• DIS + advertisement parsing gives the highest yield for model and firmware collection; fallback to vendor cloud APIs when necessary.
• Report to your CMDB and automate remediation workflows — detection without remediation is only partially useful.
• Procurement controls and vendor telemetry are long-term fixes; immediate risk reduction relies on fleet scanning and patching.

Call to action

Start by running the Get-HeadphoneInventory function in a small pilot group this week. Export the JSON to your CMDB and run a query that flags models on your vulnerability list. If you want a packaged Intune Proactive Remediation pair or a ready-made ServiceNow ingestion function tuned for your instance, contact our engineering team for a deployment kit and 1:1 help integrating this into your endpoint compliance pipeline.

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