Nowadays new generations of hardware key-loggers are emerged, and unfortunately attackers are using them intensively to steal the keystrokes of users. These key-loggers are OS independent and are in different shapes. They are even capable of stealing the BIOS password. Most of them look like a convertor for PS/2 and/or USB to PS/2 and/or USB (Fig. 1). Besides, some of them are chipsets which are embedded in the keyboard itself (Fig. 2). And others use electromagnetic features to steal the keystrokes which are put around the wire of the keyboard or work remotely by capturing the frequency spectrum of the keyboard communication[1]. The problem is that these hardware key-loggers have become very cheap and simply available[2]. Moreover, there are some free articles about how to make their circuits[3].
So, how can we stop it if we could not remove its hardware from our computer or there is a danger of electromagnetic key-logger?
The first and the simplest idea is using an on-screen keyboard and click on it by using a mouse. However in order to get the best result, this on-screen keyboard should be dynamic in order to prevent a hardware key-logger for the mouse itself, which captures the mouse movements and its clicks. Another way is using encryption between the keyboard and its driver. For instance, there is no doubt that by using TPM and having strong encryption methods between keyboard and motherboard (or OS itself), the keyboard can encrypt the keystrokes before sending them to the computer. But, I want to be more initiative. Another idea can be using an optical-dynamic keyboard device which shows a keyboard on your desk or on your palm, and you can touch it in order to press a key (Fig. 3). There is also an application which claims that it can detect a hardware key-logger, but I have not tried it yet and I think it is still possible to hide a hardware key-logger completely from the OS.
Figure 3.
This text is completely based on my own idea, so please respect the copyright.
[1] http://keznews.com/4985_Researchers_hack_wired_keyboards__hijack_keystrokes
[2] http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=hardware+keylogger
[3] http://derek.chezmarcotte.ca/?page_id=24
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So, how can we stop it if we could not remove its hardware from our computer or there is a danger of electromagnetic key-logger?
The first and the simplest idea is using an on-screen keyboard and click on it by using a mouse. However in order to get the best result, this on-screen keyboard should be dynamic in order to prevent a hardware key-logger for the mouse itself, which captures the mouse movements and its clicks. Another way is using encryption between the keyboard and its driver. For instance, there is no doubt that by using TPM and having strong encryption methods between keyboard and motherboard (or OS itself), the keyboard can encrypt the keystrokes before sending them to the computer. But, I want to be more initiative. Another idea can be using an optical-dynamic keyboard device which shows a keyboard on your desk or on your palm, and you can touch it in order to press a key (Fig. 3). There is also an application which claims that it can detect a hardware key-logger, but I have not tried it yet and I think it is still possible to hide a hardware key-logger completely from the OS.
This text is completely based on my own idea, so please respect the copyright.
Wow!