[arch-general] [OffTopic] Wireless keyboard Security

[Mike Sampson]

> On 09/06/2010 07:48 AM, Partha Chowdhury wrote:
>
> Google searches do return some interesting results [2]. Although a
> keyboard/receiver pair can claim to use encryption it may be poorly
> implemented [1]. Logitech seems to use a proper encryption scheme [2]
> but who knows if it has some flaw that makes it easy to break.
>
> [1]
> http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2007/12/wireless-keyboard-encryption-easily-broken-say-researchers.ars
> [2]
> http://www.logitech.com/images/pdf/roem/Logitech_Adv_24_Ghz_Whitepaper_BPG2009.pdf

Also interesting is this[1] and this[2] where researchers were able to
wirelessly sniff keystrokes from wired PS2, USB and laptop keyboards.
These signals are definitely not encrypted. :)
The second link has info and videos. If the OP went with a wireless
keyboard with properly implemented encryption it could actually be
more secure than a wired keyboard.

[1] http://www.pcworld.com/article/161166/a_way_to_sniff_keystrokes_from_thin_air.html
[2] http://lasecwww.epfl.ch/keyboard/

Regards,

Mike