All About Bluetooth Security

These days, almost all communication technologies and gadgets face threats of identity theft and piracy and Bluetooth is no exception. This is because of the popularity of mobile phones. Almost all cell phones, including the cheap ones, have Bluetooth function these days and hackers and scammers are having a gala time by breaking the Bluetooth and stealing confidential data and information. Needless to say, mobile phones are bearing the maximum brunt from hackers these days. Hackers are always on the prowl to corner their next victim. Even cheap mobile phones and contract phones consist of the Bluetooth technology and the ever-increasing number of cell phone users has surely created abundant joys for the mobile phone hacker.

Cell phone experts are however of the opinion that it's not difficult to maintain Bluetooth security. In fact, they say that the scare of Bluetooth hacking is mostly exaggerated and dramatized. Keeping the Bluetooth of your contract phone or cheap mobile phone secure is no big deal and it's effortless to manage. Several measures have been adopted by authorities in various countries to keep the Bluetooth of cheap cell phones and contract phone out of the reach of scammers and hackers. The experts say that the uncomplicated specifications of Bluetooth use an encryption algorithm which is absolutely safe. At the same point of time, there's no denying of the fact that thousands of mobile phones across the world have fallen prey to miscreants.

So how does a hacker hack into a Bluetooth device? First, he forces a couple of paired devices, such as a contract phone or a cheap cell phone, to break their connection. He then steals the packets that are used for re-sending the pin. Finally, he decodes the pin and tampers with the data. Of course, the hacker has to be within the reach of the device.

The pairing system is one of the most basic levels of security for contract phones and cheap cell phones that have Bluetooth. As a mobile phone user, always make sure that you use a secure pin to connect two Bluetooth devices. This pin would be known only to the persons who are connecting their Bluetooth devices. Moreover, it's always advisable to establish Bluetooth connectivity with a device whose owner you know. Avoid establishing any connectivity with a cheap cell phone or contract phone or any other Bluetooth device.

But we usually tend to ignore little pieces of advice and go on doing the obvious. This often leads to data theft from our gadgets. It is indeed a worry at a time when an increasing number of financial transactions are executed by our cheap mobile phones and contract phones. Besides, as most phones these days are able to connect to the internet, we must be more careful in keeping our mobile handsets out of the reach of hackers. Danger never comes with any prior information and even before we blink, we may fall victim to a hacker. So exercise caution when you use the Bluetooth of your contract phone cheap cell phone and you can have peace of mind.

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Bluetooth Definition

Definition: Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows devices to communicate, or transmit data or voice, wirelessly over a short distance. Although the Bluetooth SIG doesn't offer a concise definition of Bluetooth, they describe it as "a short-range communications technology intended to replace the cables connecting portable and/or fixed devices while maintaining high levels of security."

"Bluetooth" technology, first developed in 1994, got its name from a 10th century Danish king named Harald Bluetooth, who was said to unite disparate, warring regional factions -- much like Bluetooth is intended to provide a common communication medium for technologies in different industries (e.g., computers, mobile phones, and automotive devices).

Operating in the same 2.4GHz spectrum as other wireless technologies, like some wi-fi 802.11 protocols, Bluetooth was intended as a wireless replacement for cables. With Bluetooth, you can send a page to print, for example, to a printer downstairs instead of having to connect your computer and printer with an unsightly USB cable. Bluetooth creates a 10-meter (33-foot) radius wireless network, called a Personal Area Network (PAN) or piconet, which can network between 2 and 8 devices.

Bluetooth range and transmission speeds are typically less than Wi-Fi (a.k.a., wireless LAN) capabilities. Bluetooth v3.0 + HS -- "Bluetooth high speed technology" -- devices can deliver up to 24 Mbps of data (faster than wireless-b, though slower than wireless-a or wireless-g). Despite these drawbacks, Bluetooth uses less power and costs less to implement than Wi-Fi and is generally considered a more secure wireless technology that's less prone to interference.

The Bluetooth 4.0 specification was officially adopted on July 6, 2010. Bluetooth version 4.0 features include: low energy consumption, low cost, multi-vendor interoperability, and enhanced range. The hallmark feature enhancement to the Bluetooth 4.0 spec is its low power requirements -- devices using Bluetooth v4.0 are optimized for low battery operation and can run off of small coin-cell batteries, opening up new opportunities for wireless technology. (Instead of fearing that leaving Bluetooth on will drain your cell phone's battery, for example, you can leave a Bluetooth v4.0 mobile phone connected all the time to your other Bluetooth accessories. In fact, you may be able to go years without charging your mobile device.)

Bluetooth, because it can simultaneously transmit both voice and data, has been widely adopted as the technology of choice for devices like hands-free headsets and auto in-dash GPS systems, which can communicate with a cell phone for hands-free calling and downloading real-time mapping data.

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Bluetooth DUN

Definition: Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking, a.k.a., Bluetooth DUN, is a means of wirelessly tethering your cell phone to another mobile device like a laptop for Internet access, using your cell phone's data capabilities.

There are a couple of ways to wirelessly use your cell phone as a modem via Bluetooth. You can follow instructions for creating a Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN) for Internet access, for example, or first pair your cell phone and laptop and then use carrier-specific software and instructions for using your cell phone as a modem. The Bluetooth DUN instructions below, however, are the "old school" way of tethering using dial-up networking. They require a username and password and dial-up access number from your wireless provider.

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone (typically found in the Settings or Connections menu of your mobile phone).
In that Bluetooth menu, select the option to make the phone discoverable or visible via Bluetooth.
On your laptop, go to the Bluetooth program manager (found in the Control Panel's Network Settings or directly under the Computer directory or possible in your computer manufacturer's program menu) and select to add a new connection for your cell phone.
Once connected, right-click on the cell phone icon and select the option to connect via Dial-up Networking (note: your menus may be different. You may find the DUN option instead in the Bluetooth options menu).
You may be prompted for a PIN to enter into both your laptop and cell phone (try 0000 or 1234) for the pairing.
You'll also need to input a username, password, and phone number or access point name (APN) provided by your ISP or wireless provider. (If in doubt, contact your wireless provider or do a Web search for your carrier's APN settings; you may also find the settings in an international GPRS Mobile APN settings list.)

See Also: Bluetooth DUN profile from the Bluetooth SIG

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Bluetooth Definition

Definition: Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows devices to communicate, or transmit data or voice, wirelessly over a short distance. Although the Bluetooth SIG doesn't offer a concise definition of Bluetooth, they describe it as "a short-range communications technology intended to replace the cables connecting portable and/or fixed devices while maintaining high levels of security."

"Bluetooth" technology, first developed in 1994, got its name from a 10th century Danish king named Harald Bluetooth, who was said to unite disparate, warring regional factions -- much like Bluetooth is intended to provide a common communication medium for technologies in different industries (e.g., computers, mobile phones, and automotive devices).

Operating in the same 2.4GHz spectrum as other wireless technologies, like some wi-fi 802.11 protocols, Bluetooth was intended as a wireless replacement for cables. With Bluetooth, you can send a page to print, for example, to a printer downstairs instead of having to connect your computer and printer with an unsightly USB cable. Bluetooth creates a 10-meter (33-foot) radius wireless network, called a Personal Area Network (PAN) or piconet, which can network between 2 and 8 devices.

Bluetooth range and transmission speeds are typically less than Wi-Fi (a.k.a., wireless LAN) capabilities. Bluetooth v3.0 + HS -- "Bluetooth high speed technology" -- devices can deliver up to 24 Mbps of data (faster than wireless-b, though slower than wireless-a or wireless-g). Despite these drawbacks, Bluetooth uses less power and costs less to implement than Wi-Fi and is generally considered a more secure wireless technology that's less prone to interference.

The Bluetooth 4.0 specification was officially adopted on July 6, 2010. Bluetooth version 4.0 features include: low energy consumption, low cost, multi-vendor interoperability, and enhanced range. The hallmark feature enhancement to the Bluetooth 4.0 spec is its low power requirements -- devices using Bluetooth v4.0 are optimized for low battery operation and can run off of small coin-cell batteries, opening up new opportunities for wireless technology. (Instead of fearing that leaving Bluetooth on will drain your cell phone's battery, for example, you can leave a Bluetooth v4.0 mobile phone connected all the time to your other Bluetooth accessories. In fact, you may be able to go years without charging your mobile device.)

Bluetooth, because it can simultaneously transmit both voice and data, has been widely adopted as the technology of choice for devices like hands-free headsets and auto in-dash GPS systems, which can communicate with a cell phone for hands-free calling and downloading real-time mapping data.

View the original article here