'Anywhere there's a camera, now there's a risk': Billions of users at risk of Peeping Toms — scientists devise incredibly simple eavesdropping system costing only a few hundred dollars
'Anywhere there's a camera, now there's a risk': Billions of users at risk of Peeping Toms — scientists devise incredibly simple eavesdropping system costing only a few hundred dollars
EM Eye can even capture camera feeds through walls
The method, known as EM Eye, can even capture images through walls, raising huge concerns about the potential for misuse.
The research, led by Kevin Fu, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University, targets a vulnerability in the data transmission cables within most modern cameras. These cables unintentionally act as radio antennas, leaking electromagnetic information that can be picked up and decoded to reveal real-time video.
As reported by Tech Xplore, the vulnerability exists because manufacturers focus on protecting the intentional digital interfaces of cameras, such as the upload channel to the cloud, but overlook the potential for information leakage through accidental channels. "They never intended for this wire to become a radio transmitter, but it is," Fu explains. "If you have your lens open, even if you think you have the camera off, we're collecting."
Cross post from https://lemmy.world/post/12081766
The next paragraph is also worth highlighting (emphasis added).
The EM Eye method has been tested on 12 different types of cameras, including those found in smartphones, dash cams, and home security systems. The distance required to eavesdrop varies, but in some cases, it can be done from as far as 16 feet away.
Yeah, and how big are the recording antennae?
Guy sitting 2 tables over:
I posted this in another thread originally:
Actual Paper, images on page 10 On the top of Page 10 are example shots, ground truth is original image, sota means the captured feed, EM Eye is the feed with their post-processing (aka “Enhance”). The lengths on top are how long the cable you are snooping on is (ie a cell phone’s cable is only gonna be a few cm, a laptop is probably at the 15cm mark), and how far away you are (Those last pics at 300cm(3m) would be under 10ft). It is definitely impressive but this is up there with stealing passwords from keyboard clicks, you usually have somewhat of an advanced threat in mind to think someone might use this against you.
manufacturers focus on protecting the intentional digital interfaces of cameras, such as the upload channel to the cloud
I think even that is giving them too much credit. Like most "internet of things" devices, cameras that upload to the cloud are generally awful at security and privacy.
The S in IoT is for Security.
This isn't cloud/online vulnerability. It's physical due to a wire in cameras (smartphone, home security, dashcam, etc) that send out radio signals.
It's all in the article.
Parent commenter said that IOT devices are vulnerable in areas that manufacturers do focus on, in addition to areas they don't. They didn't deny or misunderstand the subject of the article.
Wow, we've actually reached the point of Van Eck Phreaking. Time to switch to Memexes!
Is that a reference to Angleton?
Well... I guess if this is our brave new world, I hope the people spying on me find my life as boring as I do.
Which fast and furious plot line was this again?
Are there people who don’t put tape over their cameras??
I actually use the cameras on pretty much all my devices, so disabling them would be a problem.
You don't need to disable them, just get or make removable covers. When you want to film, slip off the camera cover.
The article includes dashcams and home security cameras, I definitely cover those with tape.
Almost no one even understands how to take digital security seriously, and get angry when you try to help them.
I mean just look at your up/dowvote ratio.
Full disclosure: Am an IT professional with 3 decades of experience. Every camera device I have has a cover, either that came with the device, or one that I made.
Remember that huge fiasco with the schools that were spying on kids bedrooms at night?
Yeah, that tells you all you need to know about how trustworthy any camera is.
Putting tape over the microphone doesn't work very well.
I need the frequency for that. And a transmitter that can play Rock Astley.