Bluetooth annoyances

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Steven M. Bellovin" <smb () cs columbia edu>
Date: July 18, 2005 1:53:01 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Bluetooth annoyances


The movie industry seems intent on killing off Bluetooth phones.
Or maybe the fault belongs to phone manufacturers or the Bluetooth
standards developers, for building an overly-open network.

There's an advertising trial going on where people who walk past
kiosks in a few movie theaters receive a Bluetooth-transmitted
message inviting them to download a (free) movie trailer, ring
tone, or picture.

Leaving aside the question of why a random kiosk can set up an
association with random phones, this bodes ill for the future.
Imagine walking down the street or through a mall and having your
phone buzz incessantly, with an ad for each store you pass.  (The
article didn't say whether or not phone owners could block such
access.  I can't try it myself because I don't have a Bluetooth
phone, partly because of the security issues (such as "Bluesnarfing")
described in the media in the last year or so.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/18/technology/18bluetooth.html



-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as lists-ip () insecure org
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/