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Keyboard Sound Aids Password Cracking

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the but-i-love-clicky-keyboards dept.

stinerman writes "Three students at UC-Berkley used a 10 minute recording of a keyboard to recover 96% of the characters typed during the session. The article details that their methods did not require a 'training text' in order to calibrate the conversion algorithm as has been used previously. The research paper [PDF] notes that '90% of 5-character random passwords using only letters can be generated in fewer than 20 attempts by an adversary; 80% of 10-character passwords can be generated in fewer than 75 attempts.'"

5 of 389 comments (clear)

  1. It's a good thing... by Nuclear+Elephant · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... that my voice is my passport.

  2. WARNING by JamesD_UK · · Score: 5, Funny

    Security experts recommend you don't speak the name of the key you're hunting for as you type your password with a single finger.

  3. Great... by crc32 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now I'll need tinfoil wallpaper too, time to go to Cosco...

    --
    "In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." -- Carl Sagan, Cosmos
  4. Re:Redbox for keyboards now? by o7400 · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's it. From now on, whenever I'm typing a password I'm going to scream at the top of my lungs. How about that stopid password stealers!?

  5. Re:Redbox for keyboards now? by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 5, Funny


    Spyware attempting to hash out your keystrokes by listening to the keypresses instead of grabbing the strokes directly is a bit like a person trying to enjoy music by watching the equalizer lights flicker instead of using the speakers.

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    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey