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N95 and Bluetooth keyboard security

1 replies · 2,557 views · Started 07 November 2007

I often use a Bluetooth keyboard (a Stowaway) with my N95, and have found it opens up quite a few options with the phone. (Those with longer memories may remember that I posted here a few months back about 'disappearing' keys on my Stowaway - turns out it was a hardware fault, and I now have a new replacement which works perfectly. Thanks eXpansys 😊 )

However, I've been wondering recently how secure the Bluetooth connection itself is, between the keyboard and phone. What got me thinking, was that I often use the S60 version of PuTTY on the N95 to access my home Linux server over SSH, and it occurred to me that SSH's encryption might not be much use in a public place, if a hacker sitting within range with a BT-equipped laptop could intercept the signals from my keyboard to the phone, and log the keystrokes. I don't really want anyone nicking my SSH passphrases :frown:

Does anyone know if Bluetooth keyboards (Stowaway, Nokia, etc.) generally send information 'in the clear', or whether any encryption is used? I noted that the Stowaway driver software on my N95 shows the connection as "secure", which would imply to me there is some encryption involved, but how secure is... well, "secure"?

Hoping for some reassuring news 😊 Many thanks.

If it requires a passkey then usually the connection is secured. Use an 8 didgit pass key if your worried about security.