Class 1 standard easy for hackers to exploit, says security firm. Security experts have warned of the need to take care as new Bluetooth devices with a transmission range of up to 100 metres arrive.. . .
Class 1 standard easy for hackers to exploit, says security firm. Security experts have warned of the need to take care as new Bluetooth devices with a transmission range of up to 100 metres arrive.

Security consultant @stake believes that devices conforming to the latest Bluetooth standard represent a potential crisis similar to the introduction of wireless local area networks based on the 802.11b Wi-Fi standard.

The firm expects that Class 1 Bluetooth will appear on everything from laptops to mobile phones, allowing hackers to gain access to sensitive information.

In a recent white paper, @stake warned that even non-discoverable devices still respond to direct name and service enquiries and are therefore open to detection and attack.

Other common problems identified include Windows 2000 hosts configured to connect to all Bluetooth devices, and Windows registries that retain details of all devices to which they have been connected.

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