Just Touching a Laptop Can Reveal Secret Data

[Jill Scharr]

Shocking news: electrical currents transmitted by touch can be used to surreptitiously crack computer encryption, researchers prove.

Just Touching a Laptop Can Reveal Secret Data : Read more

 

[Christopher1]

Since this needs physical access to a computer, I believe you would see if someone is doing this.

 

[gm0n3y]

This an update of an old trick. Reminds me of seeing what is on a CRT screen from behind a wall by scanning the EM waves generated by the monitor.

 

[derekullo]

Apple knew about this years ago and designed the iphone 5c with plastic in mind knowing that it would be resistant to hacking.

 

[Darkk]

This an update of an old trick. Reminds me of seeing what is on a CRT screen from behind a wall by scanning the EM waves generated by the monitor.

Yep. That is known as tempest attack.

 

[ickibar1234]

The first, "the pattern of electrical potential flowing through the laptop's metal parts..."

What about multitasking, that would change the feedback, though I am confused why there would be electrical potential through a heatsink, that's why I am saying feedback.

Also the last method, audio, vibrations. Multitasking? Dynamic overclocking, couldn't that easily modify the 'system noise' so much that there is no way to know what is going through the CPU registers?

Perhaps 'rotating the clock frequencies' and voltages randomly within some narrow window while running another thread that takes a few percentages of each core and bounces around the core would fool this?
Ha

 

[SoWatt]

I think I may know how this is happening. There are several websites that offer subcontractor work to anyone intelligent enough to fill out an online form and lie about their experience and credentials. It used to be different, you had to prove you had skills, go through checks, etc. But nowadays, the sleazy companies posting the work to be done are paying SO lowly that the professionals are ignoring those jobs and the unskilled people are taking them. No checks, no requirements, nothing except that they're willing to work for under minimum wage.