A design approach for wireless communication security in bluetooth network

Abstract

Exponential growth of the volume of Bluetooth-enabled devices indicates that it has become a popular way of wireless interconnections for exchanging information. Bluetooth technology has become an integral part of this modern society. The availability of mobile phones, game controllers, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and personal computers has made Bluetooth a popular technology for short range wireless communication. However, as the Bluetooth technology becomes widespread, vulnerabilities in its security protocols are increasing which can be potentially dangerous to the privacy of personal information of user. It is the kind of wireless Ad hoc network. Low cost, low power, low complexity and robustness are the basic features of Bluetooth. It works on Radio frequency. Bluetooth communication range is categorized as high, medium and low depending upon power level. High range of Bluetooth communication is up to 91 meter, medium range is up to 9 meter and low range is up to 1 meter. Bluetooth is a recently proposed protocol for local wireless communication and has become a de facto standard for short-range ad hoc radio connections. Security concern is one of the most important problems delaying the mass adoption of Bluetooth. This article provides a study on the security issues behind the Bluetooth standard. After an overview of the general Bluetooth protocol, a security framework is introduced for the description of the Bluetooth security layout. Then both link-level and service-level security schemes are discussed in detail on the basis of the framework. Some weaknesses of the Bluetooth security strategies are analyzed, together with potential risks and possible attacks against the vulnerabilities. Corresponding countermeasures are also proposed in order to improve the Bluetooth security. © 2014 SERSC.