The Keyboard That Could Phone Home

An anonymous reader writes "University of Pennsylvania researchers have developed a keylogger they call the JitterBug that can modulate passwords or other information into normal traffic by adding imperceptible delays to keypresses as people use keyboard and network-intensive apps like telnet and remote desktop. The idea is that the delays in keypresses cause delays in packets, and data can be encoded in those delays. There's no software or extra network activity that the victim can see, but anyone who can see the traffic (even if it's encrypted) could grab the data. Here's the scary part: the researchers say that it could be manufactured into a keyboard, making these keyloggers widespread and virtually undetectable."

Hmm...

[bcat24]

This threat, however far-fetched, seems particularly relevant in light of the U.S. government's decision in May to use computers built by Lenovo only for processing unclassified data. The Chinese government owns 28% of Lenovo, information that has sparked fears of espionage. As it turns out, numerous keyboards are also manufactured in China.

With Communist computer, keyboard spy on YOU!

Manufactured into a keyboard

[Anonymous Coward]

The "Made in Nigeria" had me worried, but with a quality name like Sony on the keyboard, I decided not to worry.

it's your own damn fault

[circletimessquare]

...i .blame ....the ..user ....for ..not ....being ....more .......vigilant .if .....this ..ever .....happened ..to .....me (..and ..it .....wouldn't) ...i ..wouldn't .....be ..blaming ....some ."hacker" ....for ..my ....own ..lax .......security

Re:Hmm...

[madcow_bg]

In Russia, YOU spy on the keyboard!

Re:Could you get around this...

[NemosomeN]

The more likely workaround would be devices you put between your keyboard and the computer. Easier? No. Cheaper? No. Marketable? Maybe.

Re:My question is...

[AHumbleOpinion]

To catch students logging into termpapersfor10dollars.com

Trusted Input Device

[NotQuiteReal]

I don't trust anything that I didn't key into the front panel switches [depaul.edu] myself.

This Trusted Input Device method, I call TID BITS, for short.

Re:Look! Someone gave me a new keyboard!

[inKubus]

That's why I keep a liberal supply of dandruff and chicken grease on my keyboard at all times. Even if the boffins manage to make an identical keyboard (with the windows keys ripped out, no less), they could never recreate the back-alley ambiance.

Should I worry about my HP Jitterbug Keyboard

[rodion_schlatzski]

A power supply problem zapped my HP Keyboard and the replacement arrived about 10 minutes ago. A lable on the outside reads:

5069-7601 TASC

-barcode-

ASSY-KBD JITTERBUG PS/2 US/PAPE

--- I guess it is time for HP to rename this sucker!

Re:Scary!

[Physics Nobody]

See, that's why I only use Model Ms: Smashing the keyboard on the monitor breaks the monitor, not the keyboard. In retrospect that may not be a good thing...

The...William...Shatner...Keyboard.

[darnok]

Great...so...now...everything...I...type...will... look...like...William...Shatner...speaking...

Each...word...gets...it's...own...sentence

At least stuff I type will appear more dramatic

Pah!

[stunt_penguin]

A keyboard that phones home? I want a phone that lets me type at 120wpm. Now that would be impressive ^^

Finally...

[chicago_scott]

This sounds like a good way for citizens to track politicians' activity. As citizens we need better ways to serruptitiously monitor our public servants.

Smaller cameras would be better too.

Re:Scary!

[Bombcar]

So if you had 40 USB keyboards plugged into one machine, and used a different one to type each character of the password, you wouldn't have a problem, correct?

Don't be silly ...

[b0r1s]

Why would the US Government need to worry about this? It's not like most departments and branches buy all of their PC components manufacturered in China or anything...

Oh, wait....

Oh! No! My keyboard!

[TristanGrimaux]

And that's why my keyboard has an ethernet connector!

Damn!

Re:Could you get around this...

[ichigo 2.0]

Just have a robot hit two keyboards at a time at equal rates.

Why of course. Just let me jump in my flying car and go to the hypermarket on the moon, I hear robots are on sale there.