Most of us are security conscious when it comes to our computers — we have strong passwords, we don’t click suspicious links and we’re careful about where we type. But new cutting-edge AI has unveiled a startling new attack, one that can steal your data just by listening to what keys you press. According to a report from Bleeping Computer, researchers have developed an AI that can predict keyboard inputs from the sound of your keystrokes being recorded by your laptop’s microphone. This type of AI hacking can leak sensitive information like passwords, private messages and more to malicious actors.
To make this acoustic side channel attack (ASCA) work, researchers gathered training data by recording the keyboard sounds on a respondent’s laptop with a microphone and then using spectrograms and waveforms to differentiate between different keys. Afterward, the researchers were able to predict what keys were being pressed with up to 95% accuracy. That’s because the keyboard’s keys produce distinct sounds when pressed, and those sounds are picked up by the laptop’s microphone, making them easy to identify. This new type of hacking is especially dangerous because it can work even if your laptop isn’t physically near you, such as in a video chat or Zoom call.
If you use a keyboard with rubber keys, you may be less vulnerable to this type of attack because the sound produced isn’t as distinctive. Additionally, you can protect yourself by practicing touch typing or using software that reproduces or filters keyboard sounds, and playing white noise while you type could also help muddle the sounds enough to thwart the AI’s ability to detect your keystrokes. But if you’re using a membrane-based keyboard, there’s no way to fully protect yourself against this attack.
While this type of attack is still a relatively new and emerging threat, it’s important to understand how it works in order to prepare for it. And since AI is becoming more sophisticated by the day, it’s essential to stay up-to-date on the latest attack methods.
Luckily, there are plenty of great AI tools available that can make your life easier and help you perform tasks more efficiently. From writing blog posts and social media content to creating human-like conversations, there are a wide range of ways that you can use AI to make your job easier and boost productivity. Some of the most popular AI writing tools include Ghostwriter, which can take a prompt and create a full article in minutes, and Yarn, an AI that finds movie clips containing specific quotes you’re looking for. These tools are perfect for cinephiles and anyone who wants to save time on their research. They can also be useful for creating content in a specific tone, whether that’s formal and informative or fun and youthful.