Date: February 3, 2005

Presenter: Chet Uber

Affiliation: Security Posture - www.securityposture.com

Chet Uber, President of Security Posture - www.securityposture.com presented on "Bluetooth: Uses and Risks." Bluetooth is essentially a cable replacement technology, similar to the infrared beam used between PDAs, printers and similar devices. The prevalence of devices capable of using Bluetooth and the fact that they can be in the vicinity rather than line-of-sight, has given the technology a tremendous flexibility and ease of use advantage over the infrared beam.

The challenge to the network administrators and security managers is the risk poised to the enterprise due to the effective range and weak passwords. The tremendous range (often over 100 feet out of the box, up to 1000 feet with modification) allows equipment inside the enterprise (like a smartphone) to transmit outside the enterprise. Combined with weak or no password protection means that Bluetooth could be used for bypassing the usual network safeguards.

Mr. Uber addressed the benefits vs. risks of Bluetooth and some of the measures needed to evaluate the appropriate uses of the technology. His company, Security Posture, provides design and implementation of secured wireless networks. This presentation has developed out of concern for securing the enterprise from inadvertent risks from adopting new technologies.