Turn ON Bluetooth and get free stuff
Saw this ad-post at Trinoma Mall:
Its encouraging mobile phone users to turn on their Bluetooth. Was surprised to see this.
I’m sure this is a way for them to do advertising through phones of mobile users. They can also get details of mobile phone users through this.
I know that mobile phones nowadays are capable of fighting most mobile phone virus. But this move is making it easy for the “naughty people” to spread a virus or even hack your mobile phones via bluetooth or just even Bluejacking… (I think they haven’t heard of Bluejacking).
And how would a user know that the one he/she is receiving is a legit one.. i mean, something official and not from someone who wants to hack away the phone?
A simple google search can already give you lots of tools you can use for hacking using bluetooth.
So Trinoma…. i think this is not a good idea.
January 7th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Saw one big, colorful banner at the Makati underpass that wrote “Turn on your bluetooth… (for a surpise? – i forgot already)”
New way of advertising? But yes, phones can easily be hacked …
January 7th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Krispy kreme has this promo when you turn on your bluetooth in the Makati underpass, I think you will get a free coffee for a donut purchase.
January 9th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Mobile phones being hacked is not so straightforward and in any case requires permission from the phone owner. Or access to the phone when it is unattended.
All you have to do as a mobile phone owner is reject or ignore (the outcome is the same — the file is not received) any incoming files you are not waiting for.
In this particular example the poster/stand SHOULD say the name of the device you can trust, and should accept files from. This way you know you will not receive any dangerous files. (or if you do, you will know who to blame!
)
January 9th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
that’s assuming that all mobile phone users know that they should not accept unwanted or suspicious connection. However, that’s not the case. Most mobile phone users just know Calls, text, take pictures.
Also, what if the culprit disguises as a legit connection say for example “accept connection from FREE_TRINOMA” but after doing so, your phone gets hacked.
January 9th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I agree not all phone users are tech-savvy enough to know how to distinguish between a legitimate and suspicious connection.
That’s why I said in my previous comment that the poster/stand should provide clear instructions for the bluetooth campaign participants, even those ones that don’t have the necessary knowledge.
There ARE ways to run safe campaigns with no risk whatsoever for all participants. The fact that some marketers don’t do it this way is another problem!
For example, a campaign that only sends multimedia content (e.g. images, video, etc) only needs to mention on the poster: “Only accept files ending in .jpg or .3gp”. These types of files are harmless for all phones (though their content might be inappropriate for some users).
My point is that the technology provides all the necessary functionality to run safe campaigns. Some marketers just misuse the technology and it is this that can create risk, but people misusing technology is a much bigger problem than getting a virus on your phone, right?
January 9th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
I agree..
They should post more instructions and not just “turn on your bluetooth”
“but people misusing technology is a much bigger problem than getting a virus on your phone, right?”
- another “i agree” =>
January 14th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
This seems like Philippines are gone techie and now leaping to the next step..hmmm…that’s cool!
November 24th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Lyndsay,,,, well do you wanna get [one]?….. i know you want it/
June 29th, 2010 at 10:55 am
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