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Keyboard Sound Aids Password Cracking

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday September 13, 2005 @05:04AM 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.'"

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lock out? by Lawrence_Bird · 2005-09-13 05:08 · Score: 0, Redundant

won't most systems lock a user out before 75 attempts?
Re:My Luggage by TheOldSchooler · 2005-09-13 05:44 · Score: 1, Redundant

1 2 3 4 5? That's amazing! I've got the same combination on my luggage! Prepare Spaceball 1 for immediate departure!
Re:My Luggage by BlakLanner · 2005-09-13 06:08 · Score: 0, Redundant

And change the combination on my luggage!
Re:My Luggage by Torontoman · 2005-09-13 06:56 · Score: 1, Redundant

Yeah well my secret combo will be the last sequence you try!! Beat that!
Re:RT*F*A by bracher · 2005-09-13 07:18 · Score: 0, Redundant

Or, if you're not going to read the article, at the very least read the F*ing blurb on slashdot:
The article details that their methods did not require a 'training text' in order to calibrate the conversion algorithm as has been used previously.