Trusted Security Firm Announces Your Wireless Keyboard May Be Betraying Your Secrets

There’s a devious hack out that could be compromising the security of your wireless keyboard. This technique called ‘Keysniffer’ allows hackers to access your wireless keyboards from as far as 250 feet away, so that they can either record your keystrokes or even silently type keystrokes using your keyboard, Wired reports. In other words, they can snag private financial information including credit card numbers and passwords.

This category of keyboard attack is more insidious because unlike past ones, Keysniffer allows intruders to insert keystrokes even when the devices are idle and not being used.

The problem stems from the fact that millions of wireless keyboards do not encrypt the keystrokes as they are sent to the USB dongle, according to Computerworld. Keyboard manufacturers save money by producing vulnerable and generic transceivers rather than opting for more expensive Bluetooth hardware. Others used unencrypted chipsets from Mozart Semiconductor.

Security researchers at Bastille found that millions of wireless keyboards and mouses are vulnerable to this hack, which merely requires the use of a cheap $12 radio device to intercept the connection.

In sum, you might want to check if your keyboard is on the list of vulnerable devices posted on the Bastille website. Manufacturers that have been red flagged include HP, Toshiba, Radio Shack, Kensington, Insignia, GE, and Eagle Tech, Computerworld notes.