Attacks & Threats
Bluebugging
Also known as: Bluetooth backdoor
Definition
A Bluetooth attack that gains hidden, command-level control of a victim device — beyond passive data theft — to place calls, read messages, or relay audio.
Examples
- Forcing a vulnerable phone to dial an attacker number and acting as a covert microphone.
- Sending SMS messages from a victim's handset via injected AT commands.
Related terms
Bluesnarfing
An attack that exploits Bluetooth vulnerabilities to read or copy data — contacts, messages, calendar entries, files — from a nearby device without the owner's consent.
Bluejacking
A largely nuisance-level Bluetooth attack in which an attacker sends unsolicited messages or contacts to nearby discoverable Bluetooth devices.
Backdoor
A covert mechanism that bypasses normal authentication or access controls to give an attacker future entry to a system.
Mobile Malware
Malicious software that targets smartphones and tablets to steal data, intercept communications, mine cryptocurrency, or perform financial fraud.
Evil Twin Attack
A Wi-Fi attack in which an adversary stands up a rogue access point that mimics a legitimate SSID, so victims connect to it and expose traffic or credentials.
Spyware
Malware that secretly collects information about a user, device, or organization and sends it to an external party.