Analysis of Bluetooth Networking Technology: Security and Risks

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Bluetooth networking technology. It begins with an executive summary and introduction, outlining Bluetooth's functionality and widespread use in modern devices. The report explores the advantages of Bluetooth, such as wireless data transmission, extensive availability, ease of use, and energy efficiency. It then delves into the disadvantages, including limited connection range, potential energy inefficiency, slower transmission rates compared to other technologies, and various security vulnerabilities. The report identifies and explains several Bluetooth security risks, including Blueborne, Bluebugging, Bluejacking, and Bluesnarfing, and proposes mitigation strategies to address these threats, such as turning off Bluetooth when not in use and using the latest Bluetooth versions. The conclusion reiterates the key points, emphasizing Bluetooth's benefits and limitations, and the importance of staying informed about security risks. The report references several sources to support its findings.

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Bluetooth Networking
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Executive Summary
Bluetooth technology has become a standard requirement for computing devices because of the
wide application in day-to-day activities. More devices that support Bluetooth are being
developed and marketed such as smart home appliances, wearable and many others. Bluetooth
connection is one of the most reliable connection for connecting devices within a short range.
However, it has a lower data transmission rate as compared to other technologies. This report
will focus on discussing the advantages, disadvantages, security challenges and security
measures of Bluetooth network technology.

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Advantages of Bluetooth Network..................................................................................................4
Disadvantages of Bluetooth Network..............................................................................................5
Bluetooth Security Risks.................................................................................................................6
Mitigation Strategies to Bluetooth Security Attacks.......................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Reference List..................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
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).
Advantages of Bluetooth Network
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

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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.
Disadvantages of Bluetooth Network
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

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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 Security Risks
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

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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).
Mitigation Strategies to Bluetooth Security Attacks
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

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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.

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Reference List
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: http://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.