Remote keystroke logging

Spies no longer have to rely on installing spyware or attaching a hardware keylogger to your computer if they want to monitor what you type. Two Swiss researchers have found a way to do it wirelessly.

If you've heard of Tempest, a technique used to view remotely the contents of someone's computer monitor, then you're already close to understanding how it is possible to read keystrokes over the air. We're not talking about wireless keyboards, though. Some of these have already been reported to be insecure.

In their preliminary report, Martin Vuagnoux and Sylvain Pasini wrote, "Wired keyboards emit electromagnetic waves, because they contain eletronic components. These eletromagnetic radiation could reveal sensitive information such as keystrokes."

You can see the evesdropping in action below.