Key clicks betray passwords
 

Just read this interesting article over at SecurityFocus, that explains how using a $10 microphone, researchers have found that a 10-minute recording of a person typing at the keyboard reveals enough information for a computer analysis to recover nearly 90 percent of the words entered. :shocked:

source: http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11318

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

Is this not the reason that with online banking and the such like that we now have pull down lists to go though as an added lev3el of security...

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

Kinda... we use it to stop keyloggers (of the software variety), but it should also stop eavesdroppers too as a mouse click when selecting one character sounds the same as a mouseclick selecting any other character ;) Of course, if the user uses a keyboard shortcut to access the character in a dropdown list, then it defeats the whole point.

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

Sounds like a good argument in favour of two factor authentication - eg smart-card with pin number.

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

The Tab arrow dn dn dn dn dn dn tab dn dn dn tab etc approach. I do that.

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

Ya may notice someone stood behind you with a microphone recording your key taps. :D

Seriously though, I'd imagine it works on qwerty style keyboards, but imagine all the potential errors if the user was using say a language specific keyboard or something?
And what about keyboard covered in a rubber membrane?

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

My space bar sounds different to Nemmy's, so you'd have to know the keyboard properly first, I reckon'

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

Think it works on inverse square law and positioning. As you increase the distance between a sound source or even a wave source the intensity decreases exponentially.

Placing a microphone in a known place and measuring sound intensity, plus a tad of algebraic manipulation, can *easily* determine which keys are pressed. The intensity is the key to the distance away and by putting it in a certain position, the direction factor is minimised so they can guess the keypress order.

It's nothing to do with how the KB sounds.

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

Oh, great, I understand fully now :P :P :D

Re: Key clicks betray passwords
 

Was that sarcastic? :erm: