*

Offline markjo

  • *
  • Posts: 7849
  • Zetetic Council runner-up
    • View Profile
Is it time to tell your CPU to STFU?
« on: December 19, 2013, 02:52:43 PM »
It seems that it's possible to extract certain RSA keys by listening to the sounds that your CPU makes.
http://www.cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/
Abandon hope all ye who press enter here.

Science is what happens when preconception meets verification.

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge. -- Charles Darwin

If you can't demonstrate it, then you shouldn't believe it.

*

Offline Rushy

  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 8569
    • View Profile
Re: Is it time to tell your CPU to STFU?
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2013, 05:47:07 PM »
By placing a parabolic microphone inches from it while it creates the key. The NSA probably already has a chip backdoor anyway, so this is hardly thought provoking.

Offline Blanko

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 2471
    • View Profile
Re: Is it time to tell your CPU to STFU?
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2013, 05:51:31 PM »
By placing a parabolic microphone inches from it while it creates the key. The NSA probably already has a chip backdoor anyway, so this is hardly thought provoking.

Speaking of which... http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/catalog-reveals-nsa-has-back-doors-for-numerous-devices-a-940994.html

*

Offline Lord Dave

  • *
  • Posts: 7653
  • Grumpy old man.
    • View Profile
Re: Is it time to tell your CPU to STFU?
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2013, 07:34:30 PM »
By placing a parabolic microphone inches from it while it creates the key. The NSA probably already has a chip backdoor anyway, so this is hardly thought provoking.

Speaking of which... http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/catalog-reveals-nsa-has-back-doors-for-numerous-devices-a-940994.html

6 months before its hacked.

As for OP:
Meh.  With the right equipment, keyboard key strokes can be digitally detected from like 30m away.
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

*

Offline Rushy

  • Planar Moderator
  • *****
  • Posts: 8569
    • View Profile
Re: Is it time to tell your CPU to STFU?
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2013, 08:38:18 PM »
Meh.  With the right equipment, keyboard key strokes can be digitally detected from like 30m away.

This is why secure IT facilities do not have windows and have carpet on the walls.