366 Chapter 15 ■ Wireless Networking
used to connect devices such as headsets, media players, and other types of technologies.
Bluetooth operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency range and is designed to work at distances up
to 10 meters (33 feet).There are four generations of Bluetooth technologies and each has
different specifications. Currently, Bluetooth is able to operate beyond 10
meters, but you will not be tested on the specifics of each generation.When you’re working with Bluetooth devices, there are some specifics to keep in mind
about the devices and how they operate.
First, the device can operate in one of the following modes:Discoverable This allows the device to be scanned and located by other Bluetooth-enabled
devices.Limited Discoverable This mode is becoming more commonly used; in this mode the
device will be discoverable by other Bluetooth devices for a short period of time before it
returns to being nondiscoverable.Nondiscoverable As the name suggests, devices in this mode cannot be located by other
devices. However, if another device has previously found the system it will still be able to do so.In addition to the device being able to be located, it can be paired with other devices
to allow communication to occur. A device can be in pairing or nonpairing mode; pairing
means it can link with another device and nonpairing means it cannot.Although Bluetooth has a fairly limited range in most cases (new
generations notwithstanding), it is possible to extend your attack range
if you do your research. A few short years ago the magazine Popular
Science published information on how to extend the range of Bluetooth
significantly using only a cell phone antenna and a Bluetooth adapter. With
a little elbow grease and an investment of $100—and about a half hour of
time—you too can create an antenna that can more than quadruple the
range of a standard Bluetooth system.Bluetooth Threats
Much like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth has a bevy of threats facing it that you must take into account.
Bluetooth suffers from many shortcomings that have been slowly addressed with each
successive version, but many flaws remain and can be exploited. The technology itself has
already seen many attacks take their toll on victims in the form of losing information such as
the following:
■ Leaking calendars and address books or other information is possible through the
Bluetooth protocol.
■ Creation of bugging devices has been a problem with Bluetooth devices as software has
been made available that can remotely activate cameras and microphones.