Stupid Question About Wireless Keyboards
 

This is probably a stupid question but I was just thinking on the Microsoft Wireless Keyboards they are transmitting to the USB receiver pod at 27mhz.

Is this signal being uniquely encrypted from the keyboard to the pod?

Wondering if while you're typing if its not, someone could theoretically intercept what you are typing.

I do not think it is encrypted -- would be too expensive to include encryption for such an inexpensive device.

hmmm...interesting question.

Not sure about that particular model, but I have heard one story about 2 guys in the same apartment building being able to pickup what the other was typing on their computers. :)

Its low power.. so probably not a huge security risk, but there is some.

But then again the signal strength is not nearly strong enough to enable someone to pick it up 30 ft away from you.

I don't know how the technical side of it works, but on my MS keyboard, you first have to hit a button on the base and on the keyboard to sync them together, same with the mouse.

Solution -- use good ol' wire :thumbsup


Try someone tapping into my fuckin' 3 ft wire that's dangling around my balls. :Graucho

is that an invite? im sure you'll get a few takers

Try me! You'll give up the second you smell my ball cheese. :1orglaugh

IT'S POSSIBLE.

is it swiss? i like swiss

Gorgonzola.

ill pass :disgust

:thumbsup

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/i...sktopElite.jpg

This is the one I'm using by the way.

nice

mine looks sorta like that one only complaint i have about the wireless shit is when i use my mouse for 3 hours or so it just dies i sit here for 6 hours at a time sometimes it kills me

Oh boy, you can.

http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article...,108712,00.asp

:(

Apparently the average signal can go out about 60 ft. In most office buildings that's pretty far plus if you were on the first floor someone could easily be outside in a car monitoring.

Also from what I'm reading now under certain ideal weather conditions the signal can go out to a mile away.

The signal isn't encrypted except in Bluetooth systems. What the manufacturers do is have random frequency channel switchers built into the keyboards. So the odds of a neighbor's pc all of a sudden start typing on his screen what you're typing on yours are reduced.

However each mfr. is different. HP's wireless keyboards were only using a 2 channel switch until recently. Logitech's uses 4,000 random channels that change each time you boot. I haven't found Microsoft's method yet, but I'd imagine its along the same kind.

Hm... Interesting topic.

Then again, if you're desperate, use keyloggers.

Many keyloggers can be sent undetected, and are under just a few bytes.

You won't like what you read.

:helpme

I highly doubt the signal strength is as strong as some of you have mentioned in this thread. If my receiver is more than 3 feet from my wireless keyboard I cant type shit. Its actually a pain in the ass because once in a while I have to move the receiver.
If it cant pick it up from 4 feet away in certain positions, then I doubt anyone has the ability to intercept the signal from outside my house.

What exactly are you trying to show me?
I did find this there....
"The range of the wireless keyboard and mouse left something to be desired, however. The manual claims that they should work with up to six feet of separation between the wireless devices and the receiver, but the effective range in my informal tests was closer to two or three feet. To me, it seems somewhat pointless to have a wireless keyboard and mouse if you can't take it very far away from the wired receiver."