Bluejacking

Bluejacking is not mobile hacking or hijacking its totaly different. Bluejacking is a harmless prank played on people who have switched Bluetooth on their phones.
blue is taken from Bluetooth, the technology bluejacking uses.
jacking is derived from both "ajack" and "hijacking"

Even thought bluejacking does not resemble hijacking There is no accessing or taking private data from your victim's device.

Bluejacking is totally limited to Bluetooth enabled devices.Bluetooth has a very limited range, usually around 10 metres on mobile phones, but laptops and other instrument with high power transmitters can reach up to 100 meters.

“Bluejacking” is define as sending of unsolicited messages over Bluetooth to Bluetooth-enabled devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, Laptops, sending a contact which typically contains a message in the name field to another bluetooth enabled device via the OBEX protocol.

Few prople say the term “Bluejacking” originated with a user named ajack on esato.com. Some people say that the term bluejacking comes from Bluetooth and hijacking. While that certainly sounds logical, a bluejacker doesn't hijack anything, he just send a contact to the recipient's device. Both parties have absolute control over their devices, and a bluejacker will not be able to take control of your phone or steal your personal information.

You can create a phonebook contact and write a message, eg. 'Hello, you've been bluejacked', in the 'Name' field. Then you can search for other phones with Bluetooth and send that phonebook contact to them. On their phone, a message will popup saying "'Hello, you've been bluejacked' has just been received by Bluetooth" or something along those lines. For most 'victims' they will have no idea as to how the message appeared on their phone. So, personalised messages like 'I like your pink top' and the startled expressions that result is where the fun really starts.

Bluejacking is quite harmless, but because bluejacked people don't know what is happening, they think their phone is malfunctioning. Usually, a bluejacker will only send a text message, but with modern phones it's possible to send images or sounds as well.

But with the increase in the availability of bluetooth enabled devices, these devices have become vulnarable to virus attacks and even complete take over of devices through a trojan horse program.


Process:

* Go to Contacts.
* Create a new contact.
* Write the short message you want to send on the line next to 'Last name'
* Save this contact.
* Select this contact and send via Bluetooth.
* Your phone will search for devices
* All the Bluetooth devices near you will be displayed.
* Select any one you like and send.
* You have bluejacked someone.

You can also send pictures to your victim by adding them to your bluejack contact. The best thing about this is even if the victim rejects the contact that you sent him/her, the picture gets automatically saved in the victim's My Pictures section.
Note:

It is not that interesting after 2 or 3 trials. Its just a prank. Do NOT harass anyone with this. Be careful at some places and with some peoples, especially in airports where the tolerance level is very low. Also don't send threatening messages. Technically you cannot be traced, but if the victim notices you behaving in a suspicious way with your mobile phone in your hand, you better run for your life.

check Nokia mobile or cellphones IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)

On the main screen type *#06#

Information you get from the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
XXXXXX XX XXXXXX X
TAC FAC SNR SP

TAC = Type approval code of your nokia Mobile
FAC = Final assembly code of your cellphone
SNR = Serial number of your nokia Phone
SP = Spare

secret tricks for Nokia mobile

To check the phones Software revision for Nokia Mobile.
On the main screen type *#0000#

To enter in the secret menu in Nokia Phone.
On the main screen type *#92702689# [*#war0anty#]
It will take you to a secret menu where you may find some of the information below:
1. Displays Serial Number.
2. Displays the Month and Year of Manufacture
3. Displays (if there) the date where the phone was purchased (MMYY)
4. Displays the date of the last repair - if found (0000)
5. Shows life timer of phone (time passes since last start)

To restore Factory Settings for Nokia mobile
*#7780# reset to factory settings.

Taking picture without getting noticed.
Turn on/off the "click" sound made by the camera by selecting the 'Silent' profile or by turning warning tones on/off.

Hiding your Mobile/ Cellphone Number
Go to: Menu > Tools > Settings > Call > Send My Caller ID >
'Yes', 'No' or 'Set By Network' to follow the default settings of your home network.
It works only with very few network who provide you facility of “Private Number”

Speed Dialing From Simcard contact (not stored in mobile phonebook)
Type number followed by # then call.
Example: 1# or 2# or 21#

Mobile Spying

Now you can spy on anyone using your cellphone. Just do the following.

1. Activate the "Automatic Answer" in the headset profile of your cellphone and set the ringing volume to "Mute"
2. Short-circuit the left middle and right pins on the bottom of the mobile phone with all connections touching each other this will activate profile "Headset".
If you cant do this just keep your earphone connected to mobile.
3. Now place it under a table in a room and call it. Now you can use your phone for checking out what people are talking about in a room. Just call on your phone.
4. The phone receives the call without ringing and you can listen to what people are saying.

Changing Startup and Log-off screens

Startup Screen

1. Create a 320x400 bitmap in the root directory and name it LOGO.SYS
2. You can use LOGOW.SYS file in the Windows directory as a starter

Logoff Screens

1. There are many system file that constitutes Lofoff screen.
2. They are actually bitmaps 320x400 that just have a different extension
3. The hidden file in the root directory LOGO.SYS is the startup logo.
4. There are two files in the Windows directory.
5. LOGOW.SYS is the Wait while Shutting down ... screen.
6. LOGOS.SYS is the You may now shut-off or Reboot screen.
7. Make two new image files of your chice in Paint and name it as LOGOW.SYS and LOGOS.SYS and replce the actual windows file by this two.
8. But make sure they should be of the same size

Free Resources for Learning Programming

I have seen many people here posting about tutorials on programming languages. So, I have decided to put together a list of pointers to online resources for programming purposes. All the resources listed below are free to anyone interested. I will be adding to the list as and when I come across a new resourse. If you have something interesting to share, please do so. Please do not put unnecessary comments and only add if you have something to share. Hope this thread will be useful to everyone.

1. Perl
o Beginning Perl
o Picking Up Perl
o Perl 5 by Example

2. Python
o Dive Into Python
o A Byte of Python
o How to Think Like a Computer Scientist - Learning with Python

3. C
o The C Book
o An Introduction to GCC
o C Programming Tutorial
o Learning GNU C

4. C++
o Thinking in C++, Volume 1 (Zip File)
o Thinking in C++, Volume 2 (Zip File)
o Teach Yourself C++ in 21 Days
o An Introduction to C++ Programming(Zip File)
o Introduction To OOP Using C++(Zip File)
o A Beginners C++(Zip File)


5. Java
o Thinking in Java (Zip File)
o Introduction to Programming Using Java

6. Misc
o The Art of Unix Programming
o The Cathedral and the Bazaar (On Linux and Open Source)

The Blood and Guts of Biometric Systems

In some instances, biometric security technology can be preferable to a traditional username/password system. However, biometrics is not synonymous with perfect security. For instance, trying to get a machine to recognize voices and faces without being fooled is tricky. Still, vendors are sharpening their techniques to make sure that the body part being scanned really is yours -- and that it's still attached.

When biometric security devices began appearing nearly a decade ago, they were often touted as the final word in security technology. After all, stealing your password is one thing -- stealing a thumb, a retina or a voice print is a bit more of a chore.

Hackers, however, developed techniques to fool biometrics scanners, much like they've found ways around spam filters and firewalls. Biometric device vendors, in turn, learned how to improve early scanners and algorithms to develop more ironclad security products.

Still, there still exists a degree of hype surrounding the reliability of biometrics to keep the bad guys out of your computer or physical entrance way, and early-generation device failures continue to hold potential users at bay.

"A few years ago, many people viewed biometrics as a silver bullet for security. So far, the technology is not living up to that expectation. Biometrics is not good enough yet.

Changing Reputation

One way in which biometric security technology can improve is in the ability to detect a user's stress level. Ideally, a vendor should create a system in which it's impossible for the bad guys to force users to cooperate or alter the biometric data to gain access, according to Klein.

Pessimistic assessments aside, some developers have indeed made inroads in getting more reliability from their devices. Old misconceptions about what biometrics can and cannot do are giving way to better realities.

The security industry is seeing a convergence of physical and virtual devices. Biometric access is becoming integrated with access to databases, computer applications, computer networks and physical locations. The process is more reliable, but the technology still has a ways to go, he conceded.

"Overall, people see biometrics as more reliable," said Contos. "The industry is still very much a cat and mouse game."

Getting More Sophisticated

Typically, biometric security devices play gatekeepers by checking physical traits and recognizing approved users. In recent years, much research has been focused on improving established technologies rather than creating entirely new ones.

Take, for example, the fingerprint reader. Some computer makers such as Lenovo built fingerprint readers into their laptops to authenticate users. Other device makers provide fingerprint readers in keyboards. Of course, those devices are only as good as the owner's ability to keep the keyboard tethered to the box.

Fujistu has made a niche out of its proprietary palm print readers and mice with embedded palm print readers. Other device makers offer fingerprint readers that connect to a computer via USB connection. In all cases, the user must already be established in an encrypted database that matches the scan results.

Less Popular Modes

Biometric expertise has not developed as rapidly for other physical characteristics, such as voice, iris and facial recognition technology. Even as microphones and digital cameras become standard equipment on notebooks and netbooks, voice or facial recognition devices are few and far between.

That type of recognition is much more subjected to harsh image and noise variations in the surrounding environment. For example, a legitimate user may be denied access if he or she tried to use a voiceprint security gateway in a noisy room. Similarly, a facial recognition program could conceivably register a false negative if the user got a haircut and shaved his beard -- or a false positive if an unauthorized user simply bears an extremely strong resemblance to a legit one. These limitations may be holding these branches of biometrics back -- biometric devices need to identify the right user, not just a user that appears to be right.

"We will still see new technology, but by comparison, these will be very few," David Ting, CTO of security firm Imprivata, told TechNewsWorld.

Two Flavors

Biometrics is developing along two related lines: physical, which is often more intrusive for the user, and behavioral, which is usually less intrusive. Fingerprint readers are an example of a physical approach. The type of multi-layer responses to personal questions beyond the initial password prompt that users encounter when doing online banking transactions represent the behavioral approach. Similarly, biometric products built into security systems can capture the typing cadence of approved users, reading not just what they typed, but how they typed it.

Either way, the quality delivered by today's biometric security strategies is generally much more reliable than earlier versions. Organizations that require more stringent access control would be best served by combining biometric, password and other layers of security.

"Considering the different options, such as facial imaging, retina scanning, fingerprint scanning and voice recognition, authentication failures are still in the 3 to 7 percent range, depending on the type of environment," said Ting.

More Sensible Sensors

Vendors are naturally working to refine the technologies. The standardization of sensing hardware, for example, has contributed significantly to growing the adoption rate of biometrics. Much of that credit goes to sensor-makers Authentec and Upek, said Ting. They deploy as many as 15 million sensors per year.

"They are the dominant form factor manufacturers today. They lead the field based on the sheer numbers of the installed bases of their products. The gross combined revenues of both companies is US$150 million per year," he said.

Fujitsu is one vendor currently attempting to grow popular biometrics technologies into new devices. Last year the company rolled out an early version of a palm reader device, and it's now upgrading the system's software.

"Fujitsu's palm reader relies on the data-rich vein field pattern of the palm. It also works relatively well on the back of the hand and the upper arm," Jerry Byrnes, manager of biometrics and strategy planning for Fujitsu.

Vein patterns are very complex. The more the complexity, the better the security, he said.

Fujitsu's designers took into consideration some of the more gruesome scenarios an infiltrator might consider to try and beat the system. The palm reader detects the presence of live blood, which negates the abilities of bad guys using a victim's dismembered appendage to trick the database, Byrnes explained.

Spoofs and Gore

Biometric measurements have always been vulnerable to clever spoofing schemes. Fujitsu is counting on the success rates its palm scanner has had so far in falling victim to spoofing.

"Other biometric measurements are not as reliable as vein patterns in the palm," said Byrnes.

For instance, even hi-resolution photos of a palm print will not succeed in gaining access because the photo image can not reproduce the blood flow the sensor looks for, he explained.

Tales of Trickery

Though tales of how criminals may try to fool biometrics devices are legion, many of them draw only guffaws from those who know how the technology actually works. For example, Gummy Bears will not work with optical readers anymore, said Imprivata's Ting.

Other tricks may have worked on older biometrics technologies. With previous generations of biometrics, a smudged fingerprint taken from something like a cell phone may have been enough to pass muster on certain systems. Also, chopped-off hands and fingers did happen, but now most devices can sense an electro-magnetic pulse. Even hi-res pictures of faces or fingerprints no longer fool scanners, according to Contos.

That's not to say that modern biometrics are perfect -- just improving.

"When it comes to picking any lock, you can always pick the tumblers if enough of them are loose. Temperature readings can be fooled. You can always find a substitute for the body part being scanned. But overall, the technology's accuracy is getting better," said Ting. "There are much easier ways such as social engineering to get into someone's computer accounts."

Next-Gen Devices

As biometric reliability improves, some vendors may make the leap from using the technology to secure computers to using it to lock down the structures that house them.

For instance, Fujitsu is working on a biometric device that controls physical access to doors. The company has it in prototype but not yet ready for production; it's currently working on reducing production cost.

Think of the old "Star Trek" sets where Capt. Kirk extended his palm into the air as he approached a door to open it -- that's what Fujitsu is working on now.

"What was James Bond 15 years ago is biometric reality today," he quipped. "We will see more, not less, of biometric ID management. Biometrics has been a hot topic and will continue to be," Byrnes concluded.