Wireless keyboard hack

[ssfc72]

Millions of cheap wireless keyboards and mice have been found to be vulnerable to a hack.

Using a $12 wireless dongle, researchers have been able to record keystrokes and inject keystrokes into various brands of wireless keyboards.
The keyboard manufacturers have no encryption on their keyboard wireless radio signal.  They only depend on their wireless protocol, being not well understood, to provide the somewhat level of privacy.

The article is found hear:  https://www.wired.com/2016/07/radio-hack-steals-keystrokes-millions-wireless-keyboards/

[Jason]

Thanks for sharing. I use a wireless keyboard and mouse (mainly to avoid cable tangles). It's not one of the models listed although they admit the list they present isn't exhaustive. Now if only Bluetooth wireless keyboards didn't cost significantly more than other wireless keyboards.

[fox]

So this doesn't affect bluetooth keyboards? I have a Zagg which I use with my iPad mini and I just rediscovered how useful it can be with that device.

[ssfc72]

I gather from the article, that the Bluetooth protocol is encrypted, so bluetooth keyboards should be ok.
The affected wireless keyboards are using the 2.4GHz wifi frequency.

At this point, it looks to me that a hack of a wireless keyboard would require quite a high level of technical knowledge.  Businesses should be very worried but the average home user, if using one of these vulnerable keyboards at home, probably has little to worry about.

So this doesn't affect bluetooth keyboards? I have a Zagg which I use with my iPad mini and I just rediscovered how useful it can be with that device.

[bobf]

That's as bad as WEP wifi encryption - Wired-Equivalent Privacy, my Aunt Fanny! <^8# It's inevitable, and has to become an evolved way of design, process & product - if unique isolation/encryption isn't a fundamental element from the ground up, it's only logical to expect that it *will* be exploited downstream.

The bigger question could easily be: Who knew before Bastille, and made use of it? *Probably* no-one, but there's probably also NO way to confirm it... Put yer aluminum foil helmets on, kiddies, *they're* out there...! <^8#