Wireless keyboard loggers

I was watching the news tonight and heard about hackers logging onto wireless keyboards and logging keystrokes. Can hackers that hack into these wireless keyboards also take screenshots as well just from hacking into the keyboard?

 

Probably.

I read an article about malware that spreads itself from one PC to another by using the PC motherboard mounted speakers of a host PC to spread itself using inaudible signals, even when neither the computer nor the target computer is connected to the internet. Read another one about hackers being caught red handed working from vans and patching into wireless networks of large companies...

I feel like the game is really changing alot, and security techniques will have to evolve quickly. rolleyes

 

Believe it or not... even on-screen keyboards are not 100% safe. :mad

 

Anything is possible with local access, which is what would be needed.

 

Whats local access?

 

You sitting at your keyboard.

 

So do they have to be nearby you or how would they know your at your keyboard

 

Not sure how a hacker could do this without first having access to the PC via command line, although I have heard that they can basically pick anything out of the air when it comes to wireless (with the right equipment).

The example I read about where the van was parked outside of a business explained that the van needed high tech antennas and the like to be able to create this sort of a data breach in a wi-fi system. In that light, I wouldn't think a keyboard is particularly vulnerable, considering the broadcast range for them is what 40 ft max?

However, if a hacker can gain access to a PC via command line, from what I've seen, there is basically nothing they can't record, including keystrokes.

 

What's the command line? Ha

 

Command line in Windows 7 is here...

Start->Accessories->Command Prompt

What I mean is that I believe someone would require (for all practical purposes) remote access to a target PC via command line from another machine to monitor keystrokes via wi-fi. I have just started looking into this topic, so I hope someone can add to this or correct it, but, from what I understand from videos and from reading around the net, there is other software involved. That software is designed to add functionality to the command line utility on the attacker's PC that isn't present out of the box with the command line utility of operating systems.

I don't think hacks of this type are common knowledge, nor easy to do. However, I guess there are skilled hackers (if skilled is the correct word) who can basically hack any (or at least most) PC(s) with the proper commitment to do so. The reason I say I think a remote hack would be required is that the range of a keyboard is very small, so I feel like the keystrokes would have to be monitored from within the target PC in most cases.

In the van example, one person interviewed after the attacker was caught, who worked for the company which was attacked, stated that the company's response was to tighten down the wi-fi network. In the process, security began using hacker's tools to identify areas where their wi-fi was broadcasting into dangerous areas. She stated that the hacker tools made it possible for security to see basically every bit of data, including keystrokes, passwords, and everything else imaginable. She also said that this is what hackers are doing with wi-fi, and that PC users should be careful not expose their personal information over public wi-fi channels and that companies should go so far as to have security walk the company grounds looking for suspicious vehicles.

Pretty serious what's going on, but I think a wireless keyboard is fairly safe from wireless monitoring in a home situation. Again, the real danger at home is in a hacker using complex attacks to gain control of command line on a target PC and then secretly monitoring. Otherwise, malware and viruses are the other main danger and actually I guess the more common method for stealing keystroke data and other personal data from a PC.

 

Did malware go over p2p networks and make you share personal data over p2p networks ?

 

I think that article talked about microsoft wireless keyboards, and not bluetooth keyboards. Lets see if I can find the article:http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/14/this-fake-phone-charger-is-actually-recording-every-key-you-type/

 

So it's only Microsoft brand wireless keyboards. I had one with a USB but not sure which brand.