Bluetooth is a wireless network technology that enables users to connect and share files on the mobile and computer devices and also connect the different home devices. Bluetooth gives the users all the functionalities like that of a Wi-Fi. Gaming consoles, cell phone, and headsets. Bluetooth can make connection of the different devices at home more reliable as compared to other wireless options although it has limitations such as lower bandwidth and shorter range. Bluetooth network has been considered as a technology standard for sharing and transmitting data over a short distance using radio waves with ultra-high frequency in the free-to-use or unlicensed 2.4 GHz ISM band (Franklin and Layton, 2018).
Wireless Transmission of Data: this is one of the primary benefits of Bluetooth because it supports wireless transmission of data. This enables users to “pair” or connect their devices wirelessly in order to create wireless synchronization, wireless personal area network, sending and receiving files, wireless internet connectivity amongst others (Ahmad and Azril-Zuhairi, 2014).
Extensive accessibility and availability: Bluetooth demonstrate universal availability and it is extensive because of its numerous applications. Many smart and computing devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops are inbuilt with Bluetooth hardware. For the devices that do not have in-built Bluetooth hardware can buy and use Bluetooth adapters to facilitate them `to connect and communicate with other devices that are Bluetooth-enabled. Today, several complementary devices have been developed such as smartwatches, wireless headphones and speakers, among other wearable devices because Bluetooth has seemingly become a standard requirement for modern computing devices.
Easy to use: its is significantly easy to par devices with in-built Bluetooth radio. Bluetooth does not require any additional drivers or software to be installed in order to allow Bluetooth-enabled devices to communicate. Additionally, for the devices to communicate, there is no rigorous configuration process. By making the devices discoverable to each other readily when turned on and within range simplifies the whole pairing process (Ashley, 2015). Bluetooth includes protocols that allow the users to identify the names of the devices they intend to connect or pair.
Energy Efficient: as compared to other wireless network technologies, Bluetooth is relatively energy efficient making it more convenient and further promote the benefits that come with wireless data transmission. The Bluetooth low energy standard (BLE) requires ultra-low power making it an ideal standard for smaller devices such as wearables where engineering and critical design considerations include small form factor and minimal battery life.
Limited connection range: limited or shorter coverage distance is one of the notable limitations of Bluetooth and depends on the particular class of radio it utilizes. The paired devices can only connect as longs as they are within the connection radius. The maximum connection range for Bluetooth is 100 meters for industrial use cases and 20 to 30 meters for commercial use. As compared to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth is very limited making Wi-Fi a more convenient wireless technology for WPAN and WLAN using the Wi-Fi direct technology especially in cases that requires longer distances (Healey, 2016).
Can be energy inefficient: in the case of BLE, energy requirements still remain minimal for Bluetooth, but in real-world applications the devices battery life can be drained significantly by the technology especially if it remains turned on for a longer period of time. It is important to note that the longer the range the higher the energy needed.
Slower Transmission: the rate of data transmission in Bluetooth is much slower than other hardware interfacing technologies. For instance, Wi-Fi Direct has a transmission rate of 250Mbps while Bluetooth 4.0 and 3.0 theoretically have a transmission rate of 24Mbps. Wired hardware interfaces like Thunderbolt 3 has a transfer rate of up to 40Gbps while USEB 3.0 has a speed o transmission of up to 5Gbps. As such, due to this limitation, Bluetooth is not an ideal technology for transferring large files such as multiple images or audio-video files especially in time-sensitive cases (Ivankov, 2018).
Possible security vulnerabilities: several security measures such as key derivation, authentication, and confidentiality with custom algorithm have been implemented by Bluetooth to prevent any unauthorized access. However, even with these measures in place, many security breaches have been identified by media organizations and researcher including BlueBorne exploits and hacking hardware controls using malware. Security vulnerability and risks are increased Bluetooth-enabled devices are misused or used irresponsibly. This includes turning on Bluetooth without using authorization keys and allowing random pairings readily. Other security vulnerabilities that Bluetooth is susceptible to include message modification, man-in-the-middle attacks, denial-of-service attacks, resource misappropriation and eavesdropping (Reymond, 2017).
Compatibility Issues: Bluetooth 4.0 has compatibility issues with the earlier versions especially Bluetooth 1.0 and 2.0. For instance, Bluetooth 4.0 is a low-energy technology and is incompatible with other classic Bluetooth versions.
Bluetooth is a multi-task facilitator and makes everyday life easier. This wireless technology allows users to make hands free phone calls while driving enabling them to make important calls while safely driving on the road. However, even though as compared to Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth technology is relatively safe, it is not immune to cyber-attacks. There exist several security dangers facing Bluetooth that users should be on the know and stay safe against them. They include the following.
Blueborne
This is a security attack that was discovered by Armis, a security firm, in 2017. This attack targets IoT, mobile, and desktop operating systems like Android, Linux, iOS, and Windows and attacks the devices using Bluetooth by determining the vulnerabilities in the device (GOsafeonline, 2018). The devices do not need to be in discoverable mode or pared in order for Blueborne attacks to occur. Once the attackers have had access to the Bluetooth device, they can carry out malicious activities such as complete takeover or man-in-the-middle attacks on the devices.
BlueBugging
Attackers use bluebugging to take control of the Bluetooth-enable devices without the knowledge of the users. Bluebuggers cannot access the device unless it is in discoverable mode, however, devices with outdated firmware are more prone to this attack. The attackers can access sensitive information stored on the phone once they get access to it.
Bluejacking
This is a common attack on Bluetooth devices where advertisement text messages and unsolicited messages are sent to Bluetooth-enable devices that are in discoverable mode. Bluejacking is mostly used to send spam messages to the users creating some form of nuisance instead of actual danger. However, the attackers do not gain control over the device.
Bluesnarfing
This is a type of Bluetooth attack that attackers use to steal digital information and is conducted by attackers who gain access to victim’s device without permission mostly through bluebugging. Some of the information that is mostly stolen by bluesnarfing thieves include text messages, contacts, and passwords (Yoon, 2011).
There are several easy steps that users can take to minimize the chances of getting exposed to cyber-attacks and dangers discussed above. One of the simplest and most effective strategy is to turn off the Bluetooth connectivity when not in use to ensure that you are outside the radar of the attackers looking for Bluetooth discoverable devices. Additionally, it is important to ensure that one is using the most recent version of Bluetooth because it has updated security features that closes off potential vulnerabilities (Jagjeet, Ramandeep and Manpreet, 2016). Also, when pairing devices, ensure that you are pairing with deices that you know and trust and are using supported Bluetooth versions.
Conclusion:
Bluetooth can make connection of the different devices at home more reliable as compared to other wireless options although it has limitations such as lower bandwidth and shorter range. Bluetooth technology have numerous advantages including wireless Transmission of Data which is one of the primary benefits of Bluetooth because it supports wireless transmission of data, extensive accessibility and availability demonstrating universal availability and it is extensive because of its numerous applications, it is easy to use and is significantly easy to pair devices with in-built Bluetooth radio, and is energy Efficient as compared to other wireless network technologies, Bluetooth is relatively energy efficient making it more convenient and further promote the benefits that come with wireless data transmission. However, it has some disadvantages including limited or shorter coverage distance is one of the notable limitations of Bluetooth and depends on the particular class of radio it utilizes, the rate of data transmission in Bluetooth is much slower than other hardware interfacing technologies, and possible security vulnerabilities: several security measures such as key derivation, authentication, and confidentiality with custom algorithm have been implemented by Bluetooth to prevent any unauthorized access. Some of the security attacks facing Bluetooth technology include Blueborne, BlueBugging, Bluejacking, and Bluesnarfing.
To ensure that one does not fall the victim to cyber-attacks, it is important to turn off the Bluetooth connectivity when not in use to ensure that you are outside the radar of the attackers looking for Bluetooth discoverable devices. Additionally, it is important to ensure that one is using the most recent version of Bluetooth because it has updated security features that closes off potential vulnerabilities.
Reference:
Ahmad, N. and Azril Zuhairi, M. (2014). A performance comparison of infrared and bluetooth technology. International Journal of Academic Research, 6(2), pp.102-107.
Ashley, P. (2015). The Advantages of Using Bluetooth From Existing Technology. [online] Smallbusiness.chron.com. Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-using-bluetooth-existing-technology-32921.html [Accessed 29 Nov. 2018].
Franklin, C. And Layton, J. (2018). How Bluetooth Works. [online] HowStuffWorks. Available at: https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/bluetooth4.htm [Accessed 29 Nov. 2018].
GOsafeonline, G. (2018). The Bluetooth Security Issues. [online] Cyber Security Agency. Available at: https://www.csa.gov.sg/gosafeonline/go-safe-for-me/homeinternetusers/the-bluetooth-security-issues [Accessed 29 Nov. 2018].
Healey, J. (2016). Bluetooth Babies: Reproductive Technology in the Information Age. Technology’s Stories.
Ivankov, A. (2018). Advantages and disadvantages of Bluetooth | Profolus. [online] Profolus. Available at: https://www.profolus.com/topics/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-bluetooth/ [Accessed 29 Nov. 2018].
Jagjeet, K., Ramandeep, K. and Manpreet, K. (2016). Bluetooth Technology. International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science.
Reymond, F. (2017). Advantages of Bluetooth | Disadvantages of Bluetooth. [online] Rfwireless-world.com. Available at: https://www.rfwireless-world.com/Terminology/Bluetooth-advantages-and-disadvantages.html [Accessed 29 Nov. 2018].
Yoon, W. (2011). WiMAX and Bluetooth. IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine, 6(4), pp.60-67.
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