14 DAY TRIAL // Two Israeli researchers identified at the end of last week a new flaw associated to Bluetooth networks.
So far, it was known that a hacker could penetrate the Bluetooth network only when the two devices involved were establishing connection; this procedure is known as pairing.
After the connection is established, the Bluetooth network was secure.
Researchers Avishai Wool and Yaniv Shaked from the Tel Aviv University have identified a new way of forcing two Bluetooth devices to make pairing, announces NewScientist.com.
The two researchers said that they can trigger attacks at anytime, and not only if the devices are trying to connect for the first time. The only trick a hacker must employ is to "fool" one of the devices and find the personal ID sent automatically through Bluetooth. In this way, the hacker can make one device "forget" about the other and restart the scanning process.
Another security expert announces that with this new method, a hacker can attack the user in several ways, not just to secretly connect or to send a worm. The victim might also find out that his/hers phone bill has been overcharged out of nowhere. The flaw will be detailed by the two researchers during a press conference that will take place today in Seattle.