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Stealing Data Via Electrical Outlet

Ponca City, We love you writes "NetworkWorld reports that security consultants Andrea Barisani and Daniele Bianco are preparing to unveil their methodology at the Black Hat USA conference for stealing information typed on a computer keyboard using nothing more than the power outlet to which the computer is connected. When you type on a standard computer keyboard, electrical signals run through the cable to the PC. Those cables aren't shielded, so the signal leaks via the ground wire in the cable and into the ground wire on the computer's power supply. The attacker connects a probe to a nearby power socket, detects the ground leakage, and converts the signal back into alphanumeric characters. So far, the attack has proven successful using outlets up to about 15 meters away. The cost of the equipment to carry out the power-line attack could be as little as $500 and while the researchers admit their hacking tools are rudimentary, they believe they could be improved upon with a little time, effort and backing. 'If our small research was able to accomplish acceptable results in a brief development time (approximately a week of work) and with cheap hardware,' they say, 'Consider what a dedicated team or government agency can accomplish with more expensive equipment and effort.'"

11 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. Re:usb keyboard? by siloko · · Score: 3, Funny

    which is one of the reasons why I purposely get my password wrong, constatnly. Hold on who is this siloko person!?

  2. Re:random noise generator? by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

    looks like I have to come up with a random noise generator to hook up to the ground of my power outlets.

    Too much work. Just do what I do -- don't ever type anything worth reading.

  3. Re:random noise generator? by MoFoQ · · Score: 4, Funny

    or hook up an old ipod running death metal to the gnd

  4. Root is like crack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Root is like crack. Don't smoke it. I did once and got hooked. I ran Mac OS Updates as root. ****, I even had sex with my girlfriend as root. Man, that caused some permissions problems. When I started the road to recovery (logging in as Zacks) my girlfriend was all like: "**** no! You can't get any cause you don't own me an I don't go groups. You don't have the power to read, write OR execute so get out of my FACE" So I was all HELL NO bitch. And she wuz like you do not have root (superuser) privlages so get out of my TruBlueEnvironment! So then I went chown and chmodded her ass to me. Dat be-otch be up in my hizzouse. What what. Holla!

    1. Re:Root is like crack by dotgain · · Score: 3, Funny

      I wish you wrote man pages

  5. Re:random noise generator? by mcrbids · · Score: 4, Funny

    Too much work. Just do what I do -- don't ever type anything worth reading.

    I am posting at Slashdot - kinda like preaching to the converted, isn't it?

    --
    I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
  6. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  7. Re:random noise generator? by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

    That would be anything but random. You need white noise.

    ...and a sense of humor.

  8. Re:usb keyboard? by Cylix · · Score: 5, Funny

    another approach is to use wireless keyboards.

    No ground fault attack is possible since I'm using batteries!

    I've been fighting the man for so long I've got a million tricks like this up my sleeve.

    --
    "You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours." -- Yogi Berra
  9. Re:Newton's law? by digitalchinky · · Score: 2, Funny

    They leak photons if you bend them just right :-)

  10. Re:random noise generator? by linebackn · · Score: 2, Funny

    Too much work. Just do what I do -- don't ever type anything worth reading.

    Or do what I do, and always type stuff that will make eyes bleed when read.

    Oh, BTW: Hairy blood dripping decomposing donkey sacks with sphincter spread.