Bluejacking

Bluejacking is sending unsolicited messages over Bluetooth to other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs. It is worth noting that Bluejacking does not involve hacking or stealing information. A person cannot get control over another phone using Bluejacking.

Bluejacking can be used to send messages to other Bluetooth devices that are within range of 10 meters. With recent developments, it can also be used to send sounds and images. A person receiving these messages might think that his phone is malfunctioning. In reality, it is just bluejacked.

Bluejacking is very easy to do. A person just creates a new fake contact in his phone book and inserts the actual message to be sent in the contact’s name field. The “bluejacker” then chooses any of the nearby mobile phone devices having Bluetooth enabled and sends the message using the “send contact information” function. The message appears on the screen of the victim, who has no way of finding out where the message came from.

Bluejacking can be used for chatting and blind dating, a popular practice in Europe, where Bluejacking first started. It can be dangerous to share personal information with a person whose identity is not known to you.