Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
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Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#2paper: 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 into an input-only jack and don’t even have a microphone channel on their plug."
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#3paper: 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
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#4paper: 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…
Wait, if they "retask the computer’s output channel as an input channel", then why do they need for the headphones to "remain connected into an input-only jack"?
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#5Do Apple machines really use Realtek audio chips?
Is reassigning port direction possible even when there's just one physical plug?
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#6Interesting research, but with people already plugging those headphones into a portable surveillance set, and plus them using headsets (which are already microphones as well), this seems a bit chasing the wrong target?
(Assuming that the connected computer is compromised also already implies that the attacker has a microphone at their disposal, with most modern devices like smartphones, tablets and mobile computers)
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#7paper: 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…
Wait, if they "retask the computer’s output channel as an input channel", then why do they need for the headphones to "remain connected into an input-only jack"?
The author of the article intended to write "output-only".
But even this is not quite right: it's by definition not an input-only jack, but rather a jack capable of both input and output (which the user may think is output-only), but that RealTek has quietly switched to input mode as a result of their malware.
Really this title is alarmist. Only very specific hardware, and you'd have to not notice the sound stopped.
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#8Do Apple machines really use Realtek audio chips? Is reassigning port direction possible even when there's just one physical plug?
> Is reassigning port direction possible even when there's just one physical plug?
Yes. I have an Acer Vostro laptop and whenever I plug anything into it, Windows asks if it's input (mic) or output (speakers) device.
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#9Do Apple machines really use Realtek audio chips? Is reassigning port direction possible even when there's just one physical plug?
[deleted]
Re: Headphones can be hijacked to surreptitiously record audio
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wait, if they "retask the computer’s output channel as an input channel", then why do they need for the headphones to "remain connected into an input-only jack"?
The author of the article intended to write "output-only". But even this is not quite right: it's by definition not an input-only jack, but rather a jack capable of both input and output (which the user may think is output-only), but that RealTek has quietly switched to input mode as a result of their malware. Really this title is alarmist. Only very specific hardware, and you'd have to not notice the sound stopped.
Most people don't play sounds all day. But this does point to a viable defense, if the headphones are always playing something they can't be used to record.