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Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

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Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#21

Post by jsprogrammer »

nkrisc wrote: post #15
jastanton wrote: post #13

Serious question: I understand the argument against the classic "why should I care if someone records my conversations? I don't do anything illegal.", being that once the government starts recording everything you say the freedom of being able to say anything negative against them goes away knowing they could be listening. That said, why should I, a boring law abiding citizen, go around disabling my hardware and cove…

It's not just the government you need to worry about, it's independent malicious actors as well. Video or audio recordings from your devices could be used to blackmail you unless you're very, very careful what you do or say at all times such devices are around. With regards to the government, while you may not be doing anything illegal now, it will be illegal when they outlaw it.

In the US, ex post facto laws cannot be made.

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#22

Post by Mc_Big_G »

jsprogrammer wrote: post #21
nkrisc wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just the government you need to worry about, it's independent malicious actors as well. Video or audio recordings from your devices could be used to blackmail you unless you're very, very careful what you do or say at all times such devices are around. With regards to the government, while you may not be doing anything illegal now, it will be illegal when they outlaw it.

In the US, ex post facto laws cannot be made.

For now. Doesn't it just take a new law that says ex post facto laws can be made?

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#23

Post by notheguyouthink »

corecoder wrote: post #17
jastanton wrote: post #13

Serious question: I understand the argument against the classic "why should I care if someone records my conversations? I don't do anything illegal.", being that once the government starts recording everything you say the freedom of being able to say anything negative against them goes away knowing they could be listening. That said, why should I, a boring law abiding citizen, go around disabling my hardware and cove…

Governments are just a part of the threat; there's also nosy neighbours, thieves, ex partners... For instance, my bank account password is not illegal, nor am I ashamed by it in any way; I don't think I'm a prude, yet I feel like I should not tell it around.

Weird example, imo. The government has all sorts of documents pertaining to me that i wouldn't "tell it around". I'm not justifying them knowing everything of course, i just don't personally agree with your example.

In a perfect world, if i had nothing to hide and i trusted my government, then actually i wouldn't mind telling my bank account to the government in the slightest. In the real world though, i'm more concerned about 3rd party malicious acts than i am with the government directly, and the holes that the government injects into our lives.

I don't want the government to have my personal conversations not because i'm afraid of them specifically, but afraid of who else will inevitably get ahold of it when the government drops the ball.

(Note: yes, i know the government could also turn against me in an unknown future)

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#24

Post by jloughry »

laddng wrote: post #3
tonybeltramelli wrote: post #2

paper: http://cyber.bgu.ac.il/advanced-cyber/system/files/SPEAKE%28... video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez3o8aIZCDM "It’s no surprise that earbuds can function as microphones in a pinch [...] But the researchers took that hack a step further. Their malware [...] silently “retask” the computer’s output channel as an input channel, allowing the malware to record audio even when the headphones remain connected int…

The link to the paper is dead. Is there a mirror? I am very curious to see it

Replace the %28 and %29 in the URL with parentheses ( ) and the paper loads correctly. The title is spelt like this:

SPEAKE(a)R: Turn Speakers to Microphones for Fun and Profit

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#25

Post by NegativeK »

Mc_Big_G wrote: post #22
jsprogrammer wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the US, ex post facto laws cannot be made.

For now. Doesn't it just take a new law that says ex post facto laws can be made?

It would require an amendment to the US Constitution, which is an incredibly high bar.

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#26

Post by Mc_Big_G »

NegativeK wrote: post #25
Mc_Big_G wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For now. Doesn't it just take a new law that says ex post facto laws can be made?

It would require an amendment to the US Constitution, which is an incredibly high bar.

That bar seems a lot lower in the last few weeks.

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#27

Post by samlevine »

jastanton wrote: post #13

Serious question: I understand the argument against the classic "why should I care if someone records my conversations? I don't do anything illegal.", being that once the government starts recording everything you say the freedom of being able to say anything negative against them goes away knowing they could be listening. That said, why should I, a boring law abiding citizen, go around disabling my hardware and cove…

Privacy allows us to be ourselves, to make mistakes, to be right or wrong without it bringing the wrath or ridicule of the general public.

Privacy is a fence. Tall fences make good neighbors, because they help define what is and is not your business. My life is not the business of the government, nor should yours be. At least not until they have enough information to get a warrant.

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#28

Post by sfrailsdev »

jastanton wrote: post #13

Serious question: I understand the argument against the classic "why should I care if someone records my conversations? I don't do anything illegal.", being that once the government starts recording everything you say the freedom of being able to say anything negative against them goes away knowing they could be listening. That said, why should I, a boring law abiding citizen, go around disabling my hardware and cove…

Combine with the ability to train a neural network to identify typing noises by sound, and they can also read everything you type, including passwords.

Sure you are law abiding, but that doesn't mean every person with this power is.

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#29

Post by razakel »

jsprogrammer wrote: post #21
nkrisc wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just the government you need to worry about, it's independent malicious actors as well. Video or audio recordings from your devices could be used to blackmail you unless you're very, very careful what you do or say at all times such devices are around. With regards to the government, while you may not be doing anything illegal now, it will be illegal when they outlaw it.

In the US, ex post facto laws cannot be made.

>In the US, ex post facto laws cannot be made.

Yeah, well, in the UK the government is trying to justify sweeping constitutional and case law changes based on a non-binding referendum barely passing.

Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio

#30

Post by rz2k »

tonybeltramelli wrote: post #2

paper: http://cyber.bgu.ac.il/advanced-cyber/system/files/SPEAKE%28... video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez3o8aIZCDM "It’s no surprise that earbuds can function as microphones in a pinch [...] But the researchers took that hack a step further. Their malware [...] silently “retask” the computer’s output channel as an input channel, allowing the malware to record audio even when the headphones remain connected int…

Could they also be repurposed for electroencephalogy?
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