Over the past few years we as a race have become overly dependent on technology, which has compelled us to develop electronic devises that allow us to transfer and share data more rapidly and securely. However, this task of connecting different technologies has not been painless as most devices come with different operating systems, parts, connectors, and protocols that need to be considered and taken care of before developing any new devices. As a result, it has been a challenge to produce new technologies and protocols to allow these devices to connect easily. One such solution is Bluetooth will allows devices to connect wirelessly over a short range. However, like any other wireless networking, Bluetooth is also prone to various types of hacking.
What is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is a device that uses radio communication to wirelessly connect electronic devices such as cell phones, portable computers, and portable handheld devices to connect to one another as well as to the Internet. According to Wikipedia.org “the communication distance ranges from about 1 meter to a maximum of 100 meters.” This suggests that the network is created using low powered radio waves. Devices using Bluetooth are able to transfer data at a rate of 1 Mbps. Bluetooth technology was established to replace cable networking and to establish communication over short ranges.
How does Bluetooth work?
Standard Bluetooth technology uses radio waves to create a wireless network between devices. In order to do this, a Bluetooth-chip is fit into the consumer’s electronic device and peripherals to communicate at a special frequency with each other. The chip consists of a transmitter and a receiver known as a transceiver. The transmitter chip transmits data thro...
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...e in the form of business cards.
Rob Schneirderman in his article about communication security, very rightly points out that “more than 20 million handheld PDA’s and a billion mobile phones are in use today, yet few corporations have security policies in place to administer the use and protection of their wireless data.” Bluetooth is a wireless technology and it is prone to many flaws and security problems, but when used carefully, it can really be advantageous to the world of IT and users in general. Users concerned with security will have to give up a few conveniences in order to ensure they receive secure data. Increasingly, manufacturers of Bluetooth devices understand the balance between security and convenience and are trying to design their devices in ways that encourage users to be more secure about the information they receive and send through their device.
Niem, Tu C. "Bluetooth And Its Inherent Security Issues." Www.sans.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sans.org%2Freading-room%2Fwhitepapers%2Fwireless%2Fbluetooth-inherent-security-issues-945>.
Bluetooth was invented in 1994 that replaces cable communications with wireless technology. (Ericsson, 1994) Bluetooth creates a wireless personal area network (PAN) that allows exchange of information among individuals and therefore is commonly used for short-range communication among mobile phones, laptops, PDAs and other portable and fixed devices. (Layton & Franklin, [date unknown])
[5] S. E. Sarma, S. A. Weis, and D.W. Engels. Radio-frequency-identification security risks and challenges. CryptoBytes, 6(1), 2003.
Mobile phones in the recent years have become much more powerful than before by allowing users to browse the internet, check your email, and download programs. But these new abilities means there is a greater risk for viruses, malware, and other threats to your privacy. A mobile device with Wi-Fi capability brings security concerns as the devices can connect to unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots for internet access. Mobile devices might not include security features to directly combat Wi-Fi threats. Anyone within range can eavesdrop on the data someone send and receive from the
However, the increased use of the devices is also accompanied by significant cyber security threats because of the type of information stored on and accessed from the devices. Generally, the increased use of mobile devices in th...
With text messaging, email, and social media, all of which are already fairly popular, becoming more popular by the day, digital privacy is becoming a vital issue. This is why the problem between Apple and the FBI is an important issue, and one that calls for attention. In the words of Middleton “The first thing many users do in the morning is check their BlackBerry, and the device remains with them throughout the day, until they go to bed.” The thing is, this is not a behavior limited to BlackBerry users. Many people who have cellphones, smartphones in particular, are practically attached to them at the hip. As a result of this level of dependence, many people have a veritable boatload of information on their cellphones. Credit card numbers, important emails, all of their contacts, to name but a few. Some people have their entire lives stored on their phones. If it is a phone used regularly for business, it may have most to all of the business’ pertinent information stored on one device. This is why cell phone security, and being able to trust that the information on your phone is being kept safe, is so important
Before the implementation of BlueTooth into cellular devices, cell phone users were either required to have a wired earpiece running to their phone, or use one of their hands to hold the phone to their ears. Bluetooth has become a vital part of corporate use because it allows for employees to excel in multitasking, making it one of the world’s most used wireless connection system. Cell phone manufacturers prefer BlueTooth to any other type of technology because of the low power consumption, less complication on the user’s behalf, and the ability to implement the technology cheaply. This technology has advantages over infrared transmitters due to the ability to leave the line of sight of either object whilst still maintaining a connection. This allows the user to leave the phone in his pocket while only pressing a small button on the headset.
Recent years raised concerns whether connecting our e-mail and bank account to our mobile phones is really secure. Cord (2014) points out privacy as the biggest issue of mobile phone industry and calls for openness and honesty since data tracking is becoming a common phenomenon. A radio cloud network introduces security solutions for the next-generation breaches.
Mobile security, also called wireless security, refers to the protection of laptops, tablets, and smartphones, other computing devices as well as the networks they connect to from vulnerabilities and threats which are related to wireless computing. Mobile security is a broad term that entails several issues such as protecting a mobile device from malware threat, reducing risks and also securing the mobile device and its data in the incidences of theft, accidental loss of the device or unauthorized access. In the recent past, securing mobile devices has continued to attract the interest of many people (Malik & M Chaturvedi, 2013). The reason for this is the increase in the number of devices that are in operation. Also, the uses to which these
The innovation in mobile phones has enormously changed the lives of the people all around the world. The proliferation of mobile phones spans across people of different age groups and leveraging the mobile phone for different usages. Over the years, the multi-functionalities of the mobile devices have diversified and intensified to become a comprehensive electronic device.
In a mobile communications network, part of the transmission connection uses a radio link and another part uses 2Mbit/s PCM links. Radio transmission is used between the Mobile Station (MS) and the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) and the information must be adapted to be carried over 2Mbit/s PCM transmission links throughout the remainder of the network.
Wi-Fi (Wireless Network) or 802.11 networking is a phenomenal way of providing Internet wirelessly at a low cost. Using radio waves, a wireless network connects a PC, mobile phone or just about anything that connects to the internet wirelessly by a router. By transmitting signals at 2.4 or 5 GHz it allows the waves to transmit more data at a faster rate. Typical Wi-Fi standards are 802.11a, b, g, n, or ac and they can switch up the frequency depending on the model (Brain). Families can create their own wireless network that can be shared between family members without the use of hooking all their devices up to the modem and can also protect their home network from potential hackers with the use of a TKIP or AES encryption. Businesses can also create a “hotspot” which is an area that has wireless networks for free or at a set fee. This is extremely convenient for commuters that need internet access while they are at work, waiting on a plane, or just sitting at a coffee spot without the need for wires(Cox).
This paper is going to discuss wireless security from a broad view where I will go into why exactly wireless security is so important especially today as the ways in which we are communicating is changing dramatically. From there I will discuss the multiple wireless securities that are available to give a better understanding of the options given. Then I will go into why exactly not protecting your wireless can be so dangerous with some descriptions on the most dangerous wireless attacks out there today. Finally I will then discuss how we can better prepare for these types of attacks with a synopsis on several effective security methods that will help to ensure data is securely passed and kept hidden.
Each device has a unique 48-bit address from the IEEE 802 standard. Connections can be point-to-point or multipoint.By increasing the power The maximum range is 10 meters but can be extended to 100 meters . Bluetooth devices are protected from radio interference by changing their frequencies arbitrarily upto a maximum of 1600 times a second, a technique known as frequency hopping. They also use three different but complimentary error correction schemes. Built-in encryption and verification is provided
With the increasingly ubiquitous nature of mobile devices and online availability, including smartphones and tablets, there is also an understandable concern about the level of security that is afforded to such devices. This can be considered as increasingly important given the proliferation of policies such as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) which is being used by diverse organizations as a way of lowering the cost of ownership for such devices while also leveraging the flexibility advantages that their utilization can bring. It is therefore an area of immense interest due to the changing and emerging nature of both the technology itself as well as the security concerns.