This is yet another reason NOT to buy those stupid phones with 14 different features. Every time I buy a cell phone, I buy the cheapest one available, so it doesn't have all of this crap associated with it. I just want a cell phone that *works*. The last thing I want is a phone with so many useless features that it actually has *security* holes! That's insane. So if it comes to the point where the only phone I can get has this stupid Bluetooth stuff, then I have to worry about feds wiretapping me AND kids hacking in? Great. I'm going back to cans and string.
It surprises me how retarded people on a technology site can be.
Do you avoid those stupid computers and just buy 4-function calculators to avoid all those viruses, trojans, spam and all the other crap associated with the internet and modern computing? I guess not.
If you look closely, people being hax0r3d are almost always the ones who don't understand what they're doing.
-Don't enable full read/write access to all files while using broadband without a firewall. -Don't leave bluetooth enabled when not using
Don't leave bluetooth enabled when not using it? Jesus christ... we're talking about a PHONE here? That's entirely too complicated. That's like saying that you should disconnect your computer from the Net when you're not using it. It's very simple... bluetooth is insecure, and is not used by probably 99% of people with cellphones. Thus, the smart thing to do is to avoid it like the plauge.
If you actually KNEW anything about bluetooth, you know there are simple ways to secure the connections (which the article conveniently leaves out). Here's a hint; how many simultaneous connections can most bt enabled phones host on the stack?
Wow yeah that is complicated. I barely managed to grasp that I should turn of the engine of my car when I get out. Next thing I should close my door I suppose. Geez whiz this stuff is high-tech.
Oh well just shoot the guy that made blue-tooth have no security. Simple.
Yeah, but all I want my phone to do is store numbers and call numbers. Seriously. I'll get a seperate PDA for the rest of the crap. And no f'ing way I want a camera on there either. If I wanted a camera, I'd get a nice slim digital, or a real SLR camera.
This problem seems like one that could be fixed in software. Turning BT on and off as required is a great intermediate solution, but a lot of cellphone and PDA people have implemented their software such that turing it on and off requires walking through several menus. It's a chore for something that should be as simple as 2-3 button presses.
The people who whine to not buy BT cellphones and devices are, of course, as retarded as the companies who did not implement a secure standard;)
on my P900 I click Control Panel->Connections->Bluetooth-> On->Done (takes about 3 secs) I also get a tick box whether to be visible to other devices. To turn off again, click the Bluetooth icon->Off->Done While Bluetooth is enabled a blue light slowly flashes.
If this "visible to other devices" option is not present on other phones that is a mistake of the manufacturer.
If the hacked phones have "not visible" enabled then that's a problem with Bluetooth.
No. But when I install a Linux distro I do not get all the 100 million packages. I just get what I need, mainly because additional services means more vector points for hacking into the box. With phones the way to choose which features you get is to select a particular model which is exactly what the parent poster is talking about.
I hear ya! I'd never want a cellphone I could wirelessly connect up to my PDA to give me the internet whereever I am anywhere in Europe. That sounds horrible.
If you would run around with your bluetooth turned on and advertising itself, of course there's a risk. Lots of features on phones are silly, but bluetooth is genuinely useful. I sit at my PC at work, and my address book syncs with my phone while it's still in my pocket. When I'm listening to music from my computer on my headphones, I can make ca
Fantastic mental image! You and about 50 other people in a public square, each with a can, and "any-to-any" strings attached between all of the cans.
This would accomplish two things: make your network visible; and ensure that anyone trying to "hack in" would get tangled up and become "the biggest ball of string in" wherever you might be.
Um, do you know about Bluetooth hands-free headsets? I use mine all the time - which mines my BlueTooth is always on (though it doesn't authorize automaticallyl, of course - do you know how BlueTooth pairing works?)
You're not talking about a simple security precaution, you're talking about removing the functionality of the device. It's like telling someone who has been mugged, "well, you shouldn't use cash, anyway!" It's a stupid remark.
Of course, from a privacy perspective, a good parabolic mike would pi
I was replying to NineNine, who said that this was a reason to buy a phone without BT, then bemoaned the lack of phones without it. I use a Jabra headset myself; my point was, if you don't want BT, you can turn it off.
Thus, it would be more analogous to someone saying, "I keep getting mugged - I wish I didn't have to carry my wallet with me when I'm not paying for stuff" and replying "Then leave your wallet in the car when you don't need it".
And yes, I do know how pairing works. Or are you saying that t
I am more concerned about phones that have built in cameras. I have worked for two different companies now who both have a very strict no cameras on the premises rule. This also means no cell-phones with cameras built in. It is starting to get to the point where you can't get a high end phone without a camera. I want to see one of the phone manufactures make a phone that is as small, has a color screen, but doesn't have a camera built in. Is that too much to ask?
The opulence of the front office door varies inversely with the fundamental
solvency of the firm.
Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:3, Informative)
Do you avoid those stupid computers and just buy 4-function calculators to avoid all those viruses, trojans, spam and all the other crap associated with the internet and modern computing? I guess not.
If you look closely, people being hax0r3d are almost always the ones who don't understand what they're doing.
-Don't enable full read/write access to all files while using broadband without a firewall.
-Don't leave bluetooth enabled when not using
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:2)
If you actually KNEW anything about bluetooth, you know there are simple ways to secure the connections (which the article conveniently leaves out). Here's a hint; how many simultaneous connections can most bt enabled phones host on the stack?
Switch of your pc when not in use? (Score:2)
Oh well just shoot the guy that made blue-tooth have no security. Simple.
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:3, Insightful)
Bluetooth is incorrectly implemented. (Score:2)
The people who whine to not buy BT cellphones and devices are, of course, as retarded as the companies who did not implement a secure standard
Re:Bluetooth is incorrectly implemented. (Score:2)
Control Panel->Connections->Bluetooth-> On->Done (takes about 3 secs)
I also get a tick box whether to be visible to other devices.
To turn off again, click the Bluetooth icon->Off->Done
While Bluetooth is enabled a blue light slowly flashes.
If this "visible to other devices" option is not present on other phones that is a mistake of the manufacturer.
If the hacked phones have "not visible" enabled then that's a problem with Bluetooth.
If the hacked phones don't have "not v
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:1)
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:3, Informative)
If you would run around with your bluetooth turned on and advertising itself, of course there's a risk. Lots of features on phones are silly, but bluetooth is genuinely useful. I sit at my PC at work, and my address book syncs with my phone while it's still in my pocket. When I'm listening to music from my computer on my headphones, I can make ca
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:1)
Fantastic mental image! You and about 50 other people in a public square, each with a can, and "any-to-any" strings attached between all of the cans.
This would accomplish two things: make your network visible; and ensure that anyone trying to "hack in" would get tangled up and become "the biggest ball of string in" wherever you might be.Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:2)
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:2)
You're not talking about a simple security precaution, you're talking about removing the functionality of the device. It's like telling someone who has been mugged, "well, you shouldn't use cash, anyway!" It's a stupid remark.
Of course, from a privacy perspective, a good parabolic mike would pi
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:2)
Thus, it would be more analogous to someone saying, "I keep getting mugged - I wish I didn't have to carry my wallet with me when I'm not paying for stuff" and replying "Then leave your wallet in the car when you don't need it".
And yes, I do know how pairing works. Or are you saying that t
Re:Yet another reason to get the *cheap* phones (Score:1)