Beware of Fake USB Chargers that Wirelessly Record Everything You Type, FBI warns

Beware of faux USB Chargers that Wirelessly Record Everything You kind, FLast year, a white hat hacker developed an inexpensive Arduino-based device that looked and functioned a bit like a generic USB mobile charger, however covertly logged, decrypted and according back all keystrokes from Microsoft wireless keyboards.
Dubbed KeySweeper, the device enclosed a web-based tool for live keystroke watching and was capable of causation SMS alerts for typewritten keystrokes, usernames, or URLs, and work even once the nasty device is unplugged attributable to its intrinsical reversible battery.BI warns

Besides the proof-of-concept attack platform, security investigator Samy Kamkar, WHO created KeySweeper, conjointly discharged directions on the way to build your own USB wall charger.
Now, it looks like hackers and criminal minds notice this concept good.
The FBI has issued a warning consultatory for personal business partners to seem out for extremely surreptitious keyloggers that quietly sniff passwords and different input file from wireless keyboards.
According to the consultatory, blackhat hackers have developed their custom version of KeySweeper device, that "if placed strategically in Associate in Nursing workplace or different location wherever people may use wireless devices", might permit criminals to steal:



Intellectual property
Trade secrets
Personally recognizable info
Passwords
Other sensitive info
Since KeySweeper appearance virtually a twin of USB phone chargers that square measure omnipresent in homes and offices, it lowers the possibilities of discovering the sniffing device by a target.

However, consistent with a Microsoft representative, customers mistreatment Microsoft Bluetooth-enabled keyboards square measure protected against KeySweeper threat. Also, its wireless keyboards factory-made once 2011 also are protected, as they use the Advanced coding customary (AES) coding technology.
So, the first methodology of defense is either to limit the employment of wireless keyboards, or to use keyboards that use the Advanced coding customary (AES) coding technology.


Although the FBI created no mention of malicious KeySweeper sniffers being found within the wild, the consultatory indicates the data regarding the KeySweeper threat was obtained through Associate in Nursing undescribed "investigation."
"The primary methodology of defense is for companies to limit the employment of wireless keyboards. Since the KeySweeper needs over-the-air transmission, a wired keyboard are safe from this sort of attack." FBI suggested.
Sniffers work against wireless devices that don't use secure coding for the information transmitted between a keyboard and therefore the pc.