Data canﾃあnow be sniffed by analyzing keystroke vibrations of a laptop or a PC connected to a PS/2 keyboard. This is what the researchers from Inverse Path revealed in their presentation at the CanSecWest Security Conference held in Vancouver.

• See also: DIY Wireless Keylogger

The Laser method:

The experts from Inverse Path first used equipment priced at around $80 to demonstrate how laser technology can be used to analyze keystrokes. They showed that letters typed on a laptop placedﾃあ50 to a 100 feet away, could be determined by pointing a laser on the reflective surface of the laptop. This was presented by engineer Andrea Barisani and hardware hacker Daniele Bianco.

Theﾃあsimple sensor equipment that they used was comprised of a handmade laser microphone device,ﾃあa photo diode for the measurement of vibrations, software to analyzeﾃあ frequency spectrograms from different keystrokes, and a program which feedsﾃあthe data to a dictionary, which in turn deciphers the words.

This technologyﾃあ is known as Dynamic Time Warping, and is primarily used in speech recognition applications. The only prerequisite is that the laptop needs to be aligned so that it appears in sight. They said that infrared lasers can be used to prevent a victim from being conscious that their system is being spied on. This method also works through glass windows.

• Where can it be used: According to Barisani, this method can be used under mostﾃあ circumstances, except when the user changes the typing position or mistypes words.

The Power-line method: The seconds method that was demonstrated by researchers showed how keystrokes from a desktop computer, with a PS/2 keyboard, can be analyzed through a ground line from a power plug in an outlet 50 feet away. In this method, as Barisani said, an information leakage is created in the electric grid. In order to detect this, a power plug, including nearby ones sharing the same electric line as the victim’s computer can be used. The victim’s keystroke pulses can be isolated from other noise on the power line by using a digital oscilloscope and analog-digital converter, as well as filtering technology.

This technology is still at its infancy stage since the researchers, after preparing for five days,ﾃあ performed an initial test in which they recorded individual keystrokes but were unable to record a continuous flow of data. However, Barisani expects the latter to be possible shortly.

• Where can it be used: The power-line method can be used to sniff data from the computers of any nearby user, as well as any ATM machine that uses PS/2 or similar keypads. This method does not work against laptops or USB keyboards.

Other methods:

These techniques are similar to otherﾃあ research that involves sniffing keystrokes through a wireless antenna. So far though, TEMPEST remains the most effective one. That method involves lots of expensive equipment and works by sniffing the electromagnetic radiation emanating from a video display.

By hacking a motion detector and soldering it to a tiny pinhole 4GB USB Stick Camera (cheap on eBay) you can secretly record video whenever someone enters the room. When motion is detected, the motion sensor sends out a signal which is instructs the USB stick cam to turn on and begin recording.

DIY Security Projects:

• 6 Outstanding DIY Spy Projects
• DIY Rotating Bookshelbes & Trapdoors
• Make a Laser surveillance System

This fantastic video demonstrates how to use RFID (radio frequency identification) to restrict access to your fridge, or any other location.ﾃゑｿｽ Basically, it only allows access to the safe (fridge) if your RFID tag has the proper code.ﾃゑｿｽ If you’re not familiar with RFID, check out our how to use RFID tutorial.ﾃゑｿｽ You can pick up dirt cheap RFID gear on eBay.

Related Exceptional Projects:

1. How to Make a Beer Launching Fridge
2. Make a Super Secret Safe out of a Full Soda Bottle
3. DIY Laser Surveillance Security System

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Holding a compressed air can upside down creates extreme cooling of minus 50 degrees Celsius.ﾃあ Spray this on memory and the stored data fades five times slower than it would naturally.ﾃあ A full experiment conducted by Princeton exploits this little known property.ﾃあ “(Memory is) not immediately erased, and their contents remain for malicious (or forensic) acquisition of usable full-system memory images.”

• Check out the experiment’s research paper.
• Learn more though brief pictorial documentation.
• Watch the full demo video:

By using a reed switch (shown in the video above, you can turn on your computer by simply waving a magnet near the switch. Very easy to do, perhaps takes only 10 minutes. Great for computer security and hiding private data.

Combine a high voltage electrode and a motor and you can create an electric force field around your laptop. Note that all these photos are real, no photoshop. The pictures are all single shots and effects are produced with long exposure.

The photos above show the ZVS flyback supply driving a 4 stage CW multiplier. It is capable of 5 inch sparks but is shown here with half of that. These photos display how the rotating setup swings the sparks in a ring around the laptop, while maintaining a safe distance from my face.

• Why stop at a laptop, why not guard your entire car?

• Or use Electric Beams of Death to guard your home.

Follow this sequence to recreate the pictures. Read more about the project.

1. The rotating electrodes are turned on. The shot is done in darkness.
2. Trigger the 10 second camera exposure using a remote control. The indirect flash goes off and this provides a natural color background to give normal skin tones.
3. The orange filter is put in place (colored acrylic held in front of the
   lens). Everything from now on will be orange ie sparks and computer screen,
   complete with orange shadows and reflections.
4. Sparks are turned on and remain on for the duration of the 10 second
   exposure during just over a full rotation of the electrodes.. The sparks, now
   orange, will be added to the exposure.