New research has come forward that shows hackers may be wirelessly tapping into your keyboard to read every single thing you type.

Think twice before ordering that low-end keyboard off eBay because it’s cheaper than the rest.  New research has come forward that shows hackers may be wirelessly tapping into your keyboard to read every single thing you type.  That includes Skype messages, passwords, sensitive information–all of it is vulnerable if you fall prey to this new hacking technology.  Read on to find out exactly what we’re talking about.

What They Found

A small computer security research team called Bastille has been researching how a tiny radio transmitter can pick up frequencies sent from a wireless keyboard to a USB.  If you’ve ever used a wireless keyboard, it sends your keystrokes digitally to a USB dongle connected to your computer.  This radio transmitter would intercept those keystrokes and record them.  So, every word you type could be seen by anyone with this transmitter.  And it can work at long range– Bastille says it can work from up to 75 meters away, through any material.  So, if someone has this device and is in the room next to you in the office, you may never know they’re reading all of the words that you type.  Obviously, this is a serious security issue.  You won’t really be able to stop it and you may not even know it’s happening.

Should You be Worried?

The short answer is: no.  Wireless computers are common, but they are most certainly not your only option.  A simple solution is to purchase a wired one.  But also, if you buy a brand name wireless keyboard from a company you recognize and trust, it shouldn’t be an issue.  For example, Dell’s keyboards were safe, according to Bastille.  It’s also pretty unlikely that anyone around you would even have this technology.  We really just need to be worried that it exists in the first place; if and when this technology evolves, we’ll be in for even more hacking threats.

Need more cyber security?  Call SOS Technology Group today!

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