Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Wireless Keyboard Interception - Encryption Cracked

Security researchers have cracked the rudimentary encryption used in a range of popular wireless keyboards.

Bluetooth is increasingly becoming the de-facto standard for wireless communication in peripheral devices and is reckoned to be secure. But some manufacturers such as Logitech and Microsoft rely on 27 MHz radio technology which, it transpires, is anything but secure.

Using nothing more than a simple radio receiver, a soundcard and suitable software, Swiss
security firm Dreamlab Technologies managed to capture and decode the radio communications between a keyboard and a PC.

The attack opens the way up to all sorts of mischief
including keystroke logging to capture login credentials to online banking sites or email accounts. (more)