What is bluesnarfing

In some cases, the hacker can even alter the data stored on the target device. In a bluesnarfing attack, the owner of the target phone is usually unaware that anything has happened to his or her device. The only way to completely eliminate the risk of a bluesnarfing attack is by turning off Bluetooth, because the hacker will not be able to access the connection. However, there are some other ways to drastically reduce the likelihood of a bluesnarfing attack. Bluesnarfing, bluejacking, and bluebugging are all cyber attacks that can be carried out on Bluetooth-compatible devices, but they have some significant differences in their goals and implementation.

Bluesnarfing is sometimes confused with bluejacking, which is another type of Bluetooth hacking. The main difference between bluejacking and bluesnarfing is that the former involves the transmission of data to the targeted device, whereas the latter involves data theft.

By: Satish Balakrishnan. Dictionary Dictionary Term of the Day. Machine Intelligence. Techopedia Terms. Connect with us. Sign up. Term of the Day. Best of Techopedia weekly. News and Special Offers occasional. Techopedia Explains Bluesnarfing. Once touted as possibly the greatest thing since sliced bread, wireless Bluetooth technology has since gained a reputation as one of the gaping barriers in mobile and wireless device security — almost as bad as public WiFi.

While it might be harsh to flatly dismiss the wireless technology that makes it possible for the visually or motion-impaired to enjoy the benefits of internet and computer systems or to remotely control motor-driven appliances and machinery, Bluetooth does raise concerns — particularly with its vulnerability to several sorts of attack.

One of these is known as bluesnarfing. Now, Bluetooth is a high-speed but very short-range medium for exchanging data by wireless means between desktop and mobile computers, smartphones, tablets, PDAs Personal Digital Assistants , and other devices which support the technology.

It involves the theft of data from a wireless device having a Bluetooth connection — which could include information from contact lists, calendars, emails, or text messages. According to the anecdotal evidence, bluesnarfing first came to light in September , when it was observed by researcher Marcel Holtmann.

Adam Laurie of A.