Mark Zuckerberg once revealed that he covered his laptop’s webcam and microphone jacks with tapes to prevent possible hacking and spying. But do you know that your headset can also be used to invade your privacy?
The Network Security Research Center at Ben Gurion University in Israel shows how to use headphones to record you without your knowledge in a new study. They have developed a proof-of-concept headset to show how dangerous it may be.
This new headset turns the microphone through secret “re-tasking” speakers or headset functions. The lead investigator Mordechai Guri said that they found out most of today’s computers support the ability to convert and use speakers as microphones.”
This is because the speakers are designed like a microphone in a reverse way. When the speaker converts the current into sound waves, the microphone converts the sound waves into electrical current. The research team has developed a software to reverse the process.
The Realtek audio chipset used in most computers can modify its functionality. No physical changes to the loudspeaker are required, providing hackers with the opportunity to work remotely into the computer’s built-in speaker system and record sound.
The idea of hackers accessing the loudspeakers is disturbing. Researchers at Ben Gurion University want to raise awareness of potential new threats, and encourage new developments in cyber security. They always try to find vulnerabilities in order to expose and close them.
This is not a simple effort, because the question is how to design the audio chip. In the meantime, users can unplug their speakers and headphones when not in use, or try Bluetooth or USB-connected speakers to avoid the risk of the manipulation.
