Wireless Keyboard "Encryption" Cracked

squidinkcalligraphy writes "While everyone is going on about wireless network security, it seems few have considered that increasingly common wireless keyboards can be vulnerable to eavesdropping. Particularly when the encryption is pitifully weak. All that's needed is a simple radio receiver, sound card, and a brute-force attack on the 8-bit encryption used. Passwords galore! Bluetooth, it seems, is safe for the moment."

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Just Mess with the Listener!

[Anonymous Coward]

That's why I use ^H in my passwords ;)

Re:Why a soundcard !

[MrNemesis]

Why didn't they list their graphics cards? Surely you can't have a hacking session with power metal blaring in the background and not have a wall of monitors showing alpha-blended hexagons, otherwise none of the hacks will work...?

I think this paper needs to be peer reviewed by Crash Override.

Re:Why a soundcard !

[iMaple]

but was there any need to reply to that kind of retarded question? Why not just let him continue in his ignorance.. obviously he has no interest in knowing, otherwise he would have RTFA.

Well, I didn't read the white paper, but I did RTFA and that doesn't mention anything why the sound card was used. And I assumed that the simple radio receiver was a simple pci card like radio device (I had a TV signal receiver card that u just digitized the TV signals and u could watch broadcast TV on your computer .. so I was thinking of that when I asked the question), for some reason I didn't realize that they meant a radio with a audio output. Does that make me a bit slow.. yes; ignorant/retarded ... maybe; but its not flamebait/troll as u are implying.

Re:Under my desk

[EatHam]

After I added a lager (1/4 or 1/8 wave) antenna to my receiver, I could type with my keyboard outside the house.

After I added a lager to my receiver, I also could type from outside the house, but when I finally went back in, the receiver was belligerent, and insisted on driving the car though it was in no state to do so.

Antenna Crack?

[smittyoneeach]

Listen, Jack:
Smooth your face
Bounce signal back
Lower power
Avoids attack
Burma Shave

Re:Just Mess with the Listener!

[Glonoinha]

He uses a sound card as part of the decryption mechanism - use a ^G instead (so he can hear it go 'ding').

Re:Gimme a break

[Yvanhoe]

Here in France, 3 years ago, the geek magazine "pirate mag" made fun of French military (Yes we also do that here) because they proudly announced the opening of their new "cyber-warfare strategical center" (or some other shiny words) and the picture that was given to every newspaper were two officers holding wireless keyboards in front of a flat display. The keyboard model was of course a very common one with absolutely no encryption.

Re:Under my desk

[Big Jason]

You call that low?

Re:Under my desk

[Scootin159]

eh, you probably just bought yours.