Developer creates tool to track neighbors' Bluetooth signals. He says it's not for hacking — just monitoring
A privacy researcher named Danny McClelland has released a tool called Bluehood, which aims to «monitor Bluetooth activity in your area.»
A privacy researcher named Danny McClelland has released a tool called Bluehood, which aims to «monitor Bluetooth activity in your area.»
Although Bluehood is created «solely for educational purposes,» anyone can use it to continuously scan for nearby Bluetooth devices, writes CyberNews.
The program allows you to identify devices by manufacturer, classify them by category (phones, audio devices, wearables, IoT, vehicles, etc.) and estimate the distance to them.
The scanner is able to track patterns of presence over time, identify devices appearing at the same time, and even send push notifications when a target device appears within range.
«AI helped me significantly in the project, but the motivation was entirely human: I wanted to understand what information I was „leaking“ just because I had Bluetooth turned on,» the developer explained.
Danny believes that people often underestimate the amount of «digital footprint» they leave behind. Even those who believe they have «nothing to hide and nothing to fear» still flaunt information they would be reluctant to share.
«When is the house usually empty? Does anyone come to visit every Thursday afternoon? Is there a consistent schedule that indicates shift work? When do the kids get home from school?» Danny listed just a few of the questions his scanner could easily answer.
The developer doesn’t want anyone to use this tool for hacking; the device is only capable of «passive listening.» It never attempts to connect to detected Bluetooth devices.
«I created it because I wanted to see for myself what exactly I was broadcasting. The results were sobering. Even without malicious intent, anyone with basic technical knowledge could learn a lot about my family and life just by sitting in my car and running a script,» Danny noted.
«If you try Bluehood and it makes you reconsider your Bluetooth usage habits, then the tool has done its job.»
At the same time, the author admitted that the motivation for the project was previously discovered Bluetooth vulnerabilities that could allow eavesdropping, control hijacking, and large-scale surveillance.
Bluetooth vulnerability allows hackers to connect to Mercedes, Volkswagen and Skoda cars: risk to contacts, GPS and conversations
Bluetooth vulnerability allows hackers to connect to Mercedes, Volkswagen and Skoda cars: risk to contacts, GPS and conversations
A resident of Aitiva found a technological solution to combat loud music from neighbors by hacking their Bluetooth speakers
A resident of Aitiva found a technological solution to combat loud music from neighbors by hacking their Bluetooth speakers
Read the country’s main IT news in our Telegram
Read the country’s main IT news in our Telegram
