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Bluetooth : Management For The Masses
Book Abstract by:
profin
Original Author: Ashok kumar
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Summary rating: 5 stars
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words:600
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Bluetooth : Management For The MassesThere is no escaping the ubiquitous nature of wireless networks
and the security concerns that accompany them. Yet while everyone understands the importance of securing Wi-Fi environments, managers and analysts often overlook the risks posed by its Bluetooth cousin. In order to help Bluetooth users identify nearby devices and isolate potential security concerns, AirMagnet has released its new BlueSweep freeware utility.
While it can be argued that Bluetooth technology does not play a major role in the corporate arena, there is no denying that the technology is showing up in more phones, PDAs, laptops, and even appliances. Some of this hardware finds its way into a corporate setting. “As Bluetooth devices continue to proliferate, they will become a bigger target for hackers. BlueSweep gives Bluetooth users a way to know if their devices are vulnerable,” says Dean Au, AirMagnet’s chief executive officer.
Once downloaded and installed, BlueSweep provides users with a comprehensive snapshot of local Bluetooth activity, including information about their own devices. Operating in an “active” mode, the software utilizes the user’s own Bluetooth adapter to send out signals and await a response from any nearby devices. The utility’s effective range measures up to 30 feet away, depending on the Bluetooth adapter used on the scanning host.
Information provided during the identification process includes the make and manufacturer of any Bluetooth devices visible to the host machine. The utility also gives users the opportunity to see the interconnections between any Bluetooth devices and identify all available services. In addition, the AirMagnet software lets users conduct real-time audits of Bluetooth activity and document potential vulnerabilities and also stores activity history for offline analysis. According to the company, BlueSweep will not block or disrupt other applications. WinXP with SP2, along with a WinXP compatible Bluetooth Adapter (using the native WinXP Bluetooth driver), are required.
In what should prove to be popular by its users, AirMagnet chose to make its BlueSweep analysis tool available as a free download on a “as-is” basis. “Bluetooth is very short range, has had very few reports of actual vulnerabilities exploited, and did not (in our opinion) require a fully paid-up license software model,” says Rich Mironov, vice president of marketing for AirMagnet.
Network Chemistry also offers a free vulnerability assessment tool. Known as BlueScanner, the database-driven utility lets users add location information to any discovered devices whereas BlueSweep lets users view interconnections between Bluetooth devices
Published: December 26, 2006
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