

Power sockets can be used to eavesdrop on what people type on a computer - shivam14
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8147534.stm

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embeddedradical
demonstration was more informative:
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=700356>

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mcantor
This is very badass, but who in the blazes still plugs their keyboard into
their PC with anything but USB cables?

(Disclaimer: Yes, I know that there are probably still hundreds of thousands
of legacy setups in constant use that are probably connecting their keyboards
with PS2 cables. But if you're travelling and working in a hotel room, you're
probably on a laptop, and if someone can hook up a remotely-monitored
oscilloscope to your electric system and get away unnoticed, you're hosed
anyway.

It's still pretty awesome, though.)

Also, this makes me wonder if the signal on wireless keyboards is encrypted.
Do most of them use bluetooth? Is that safe against people dropping eaves?

EDIT: Ahh, I see. You can detect the signals wirelessly... my ignorance about
electronics shines boldly through. The demonstration is very, very cool.

~~~
JacobAldridge
This is a brilliant example of a comment, anywhere but particularly here where
technology and our relationship with it is fundamental.

Respond. Think about it out loud. Explain how your primary response is still
valid. Use the word 'awesome'. Think some more. Then go away, do more
research, and update your post with a self-qualifier and the words 'very, very
cool'.

Thanks. Very, very cool.

~~~
mcantor
I'm confused by your reply. Are you saying that my comment is indicative of a
deeper technological ignorance therein? I openly admit that I know very little
about this particular field of interest; I saw what I felt was a salient point
about the OP and decided to note it here. I feel comfortable commenting on HN
because I know someone will point it out if I'm wrong--which is often.

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billybob
Dang. Now I have to wrap my keyboard cable in tinfoil hats.

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mhb
It took the news media a quarter century to become breathless about TEMPEST?
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TEMPEST>

