http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom//nods approvingly.]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/
Note how they were very careful to isolate the keyboard from any potential source which would contaminate the signal. Therein lies how to secure the system; obscure it in noise and suddenly the keyboard presses are indistinguishable from noise.]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 5:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Dec 4th 2008 1:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/-Taylor]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/
And part if not all of me thinks that this is the whole point of a lot of this type of "security" research. "Find an ultraobscure vulnerability, not for research, but to market a product."

There's a lot of value in security research, but it always seems so...dirty on both sides of the equation in the final analysis.]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 3:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/
1. Plug in laptop to power supply and place near keyboard.
2. Put AC adaptor for modem near keyboard.
3. Put printer AC adaptor near keyboard.
4. Put AC-powered alarm clock near keyboard.
5. Put Playstation 2 adaptor near keyboard.
6. Put AC-powered piece of crap LCD TV near keyboard. (My LCD TV creates a helluva lot of noise).
7. All devices make many of a interference.
8. Interference preventing recognizing signalling from keyboard.
9. Profit?

These are the things I have in handy in my room so I use them.]]>Oct 20th 2008 3:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/1) Type faster than 1 keystroke per second, or 2) Use a monitor to see what you are typing, or 3) Use a computer like you normally use a computer (Connected to power, with a monitor, with nearby speakers|telephone|cell phone|mouse)]]>Oct 20th 2008 5:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 9:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 3:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/-Taylor]]>Oct 20th 2008 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/
That's why I type on a wireless keyboard! No one can eavesdrop on logitech RF technology!! (Just kidding.)]]>Oct 20th 2008 5:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 7:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/
But, I agree with Matt as well. This was done in a controlled environment. With cell phones giving us cancer, wifi signals coming a dime a dozen around us, GSM phones making our old monitors twitch, and add your own...i'm sure the results would be a LOT less than perfect in the real world.

errrr...I hope they'd be..hahahaha]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/ we where thinking the same thing at the same time. guess i need to refresh my screen before posting replies]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 1:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TEMPEST

There is even a standard to test to for protection against this sort of attack. ]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/I was just about to post about tempest to. Saw this article (on Cnet or Slashdot) as well this morning. How soon people forget about old exploits.

Move along people, there's no news here, just a rehash of 30 year old security vulernabilities.
]]>Oct 20th 2008 3:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/


/i keed, i keed!]]>Oct 20th 2008 1:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 4:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 21st 2008 2:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 3:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 2:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/
Second, almost any electric device can be listened to and decoded into useful info. With the original research done years ago it was tested against monitors, keyboard, printers, mice, and whole computers.

Third, it seemed awfully convenient that program ran just long enough to print out exactly what they typed. I am not saying they can't do it (this is also already old hat), but it seems strange the way the system ran.]]>Oct 20th 2008 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 3:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/
I think PS/2 would be more of a problem given that it's specifications give more leeway in how data is transmitted, the frequency range is something like 10kHz to 16.7kHz, imagine having 100 keyboards all blasting out signals that are essentially sweeping across that range, hell, even 2 would be a mess.

USB is more strict on a per device basis, but it is more prevalent in todays world, and I could see people having multiple devices at their desk alone, all blasting out signals that would "co-mingle".]]>Oct 20th 2008 9:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 20th 2008 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/20/keyboard-eavesdropping-just-got-way-easier-thanks-to-electrom/Oct 21st 2008 12:38AM