Sony Ericsson advises users to turn off Bluetooth
Summary: Sony Ericsson has joined Nokia in admitting that its Bluetooth phones could be vulnerable to a 'snarfing' attack, meaning that a hacker can access data even if the phone is not paired with another Bluetooth device
Sony Ericsson has admitted that two of its phones and three Ericsson handsets are vulnerable to a snarfing attack.
The revelation comes just days after Nokia also admitted that some of its handsets have the same problem, which can allow an attacker to copy and copy a phone's contacts book, calendar and other data without requiring the victim to 'pair' with another Bluetooth device.
A Sony Ericsson spokesman said: "It has come to our attention that it is possible for a remote Bluetooth computer to extract personal information from a phone with Bluetooth even if it is un-paired."
The spokesman told ZDNet UK that the problem affects the T610 and T68i handsets as well as the Ericsson T39, R520 and T68 models.
The problem has apparently been fixed in handsets that are sold today, but the spokesman advised customers to ensure they have the latest software in their phones: "Consumers can check which version of the software they have by typing >*<<*<* from the standby screen (the chevrons indicate left and right movements of the mouse button on the phone) and then selecting ServiceInfo/SW then Information from the menus.
If customers find they have the software version "R1A081", the spokesman said they should contact an authorised Sony Ericsson service centre to get their phone upgraded.
Additionally, Sony Ericsson suggests users "set Bluetooth to hide, or simply turn off Bluetooth when it is not being used," as a "preventative action."
Adam Laurie, chief security officer at networking and security firm AL Digital, demonstrated a snarfing attack to ZDNet UK on Wednesday. He was using a Dell Bluetooth-enabled laptop with a Linux operating system running the snarf program he had written.
Laurie is unsure if the security flaw exists in the actual Bluetooth standard or in the handset manufacturers' implementation of it, but as he claims that the attack can only penetrate 80 percent of Bluetooth handsets, it is more likely to be early implementations of the standard that are at fault rather than the standard itself.
According to Laurie, most Bluetooth users shouldn't be overly worried because currently the tools required to launch a snarfing attack are not in the public domain, but he believes it is only a matter of time before they are. Laurie told ZDNet UK: "Someone would not just stumble on this vulnerability, they would have to be looking for it. But now people know that it is possible, they will be looking," he said.
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Talkback
SNARFING and BLUE_JACKING - e.g.
as those terms would appear in a legal Court -be it a US_court and/or british court and/or german/french/scandinavian/spanish Court .. and so forth!
Rgds
GYK
Since the manufacturers of wireless technologies seem uninterested in correcting product design vulnerabilities, it may be necessary for consumers to step in and take measures to ensure their privacy is protected. One thing is for certain, this is only the beginning of privacy issues for consumers who find wireless electronics becoming an integral part of daily life.
1. While it's in there, you won't be able to recieve incoming calls or text messages.
2. If you don't turn it off before putting it in there, the phone will constantly be trying to find a network, so you'll find your battery going flat in no time.
For the same "protection" that it offers, simply turn the phone off.
If you are worried about snarfing or bluejacking, it's very simple to set your Bluetooth configuration to hide the phone. In that way, only devices paired with it will be able to see it.
I have two T610s which connect OK in an X5 4.6iS.
Pairing and normal use is OK but sometimes I have little problems with connections.
Have you managed to pair the devices at all?