Managing Bluetooth risks in the workplace

Bluetooth technology (BT) and the inherent security vulnerabilities it introduces into business domains are often overlooked when security policies are developed. While organizations spend the lion´s share of their IT budgets on Intrusion Prevention/Detection Systems (IPS/IDS) to protect their wired networks and Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology to secure wireless data in motion (DIM), Bluetooth security is often disregarded. However, the International Data Corporation (IDC) projected that global Bluetooth short-wave wire semiconductor revenue will triple from $1.7 billion in 2007, to $3.3 billion by 2012 [1]. After a brief history of Bluetooth technology, researchers will examine how Bluetooth works, its vulnerabilities, and how these vulnerabilities can be exploited.