bluesnarfing

This is the blue from Bluetooth combined with the colloquialism snarf meaning ‘to eat greedily’.

It is the theft of information from a device that uses Bluetooth technology. If Bluetooth is left on and if the device does not have proper safeguards another device with Bluetooth can access it and gobble up data such as contact lists, emails, text messages and even calendars.  This can all be done without the owner of the targeted device being aware of the theft.

There is another process that makes use of Bluetooth and that is bluejacking.  In this case the transfer goes the other way, from the bluejacker to the targeted device. This is often done as a prank.  The messages sent are meant to be simply annoying.  There is also bluebugging which allows the bluebugger to take control of the targeted device and direct the mobile phone to make or receive calls without the owner’s knowledge.  So take extra care with devices that are blue.