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Hardware For Protecting Your Passwords?

Posted by Cliff on from the when-you-can-never-be-too-paranoid dept.

AstroBush asks: "I was reading this article which raised a very interesting question: Hardware keylogging devices now exist which can record all output of the keyboard regardless of operating system, permissions, or any software-based controls. How can I protect myself from having a co-worker (or student, thief, ex-wife, etc...) using one of these devices on my machine? Is there any keyboard available which encrypts output before it reaches the computer?"

1 of 16 comments (clear)

  1. No. by satch89450 · · Score: 4

    For any keyboard system to be encrypted, you would need both hardware and either firmware or software support for it. Given the power of the CPUs put into keyboards, I don't think you would find strong enough encryption to be useful. After all, with a keyboard it's dead simple for a perp to run a known-plaintext attack on the keyboard.

    Consider a laptop that you keep in your possession at all times, or lock in a safe when not in use.

    Physical security is all-important with keyboards.

    (And I hope this wasn't the last of the April Fool's Jokes -- they got old real fast this year.)