Eavesdropping via headphone socket

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greengeek
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Eavesdropping via headphone socket

#1 Post by greengeek »

On some PCs it is possible to reprogram the software that interfaces the headphone and microphone jacks (particularly Realtek chipsets) and use the headphones to record conversations in the room.

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2016/1 ... crophones/

It doesn't say if inbuilt laptop speakers can be used the same way but I have on occasion noticed that my laptop records my voice (and room sounds) at the same time as I am recording from line input and with all mic inputs switched off so I suspect there may be multiple ways that our hardware can record things we don't want. (This is not quite the same issue as described in the article but obviously an indication that hardware/firmware/software does not always behave as we expect)

musher0
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#2 Post by musher0 »

Hi greengeek.

That concerns you because... you have Secrets of State on your Puppy? ;)
Or maybe you're a NZ secret agent? :lol:

I have to dust off my knowledge of acoustics, but IIRC this a natural feature
of earphones / speakers. The electrical current can go both ways, depending
on where the sound stimulus is originating from.

If the paranoid in you ;) is worried, unplug your audio devices and put a rag
against the audio ports when you're not using them? (Old trick from the
Soviet era... ) :twisted:

Still friends? :)

BFN.
musher0
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greengeek
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#3 Post by greengeek »

musher0 wrote: maybe you're a NZ secret agent? :lol:
If the paranoid in you ;) is worried, unplug your audio devices and put a rag
against the audio ports when you're not using them?
Well yes, I am a bit paranoid. It's not my fault though - it's because of these people that keep following me and listening to my secret plans for world domination. 8)

Maybe I will just shelve those plans and retire.

musher0
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#4 Post by musher0 »

:)
musher0
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tlchost
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#5 Post by tlchost »

greengeek wrote: It's not my fault though - it's because of these people that keep following me and listening to my secret plans for world domination.
Ear plugs will prevent you hearing their footsteps behind you, therefore they will not exist.

TeX Dog
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#6 Post by TeX Dog »

Hay Your right in JamesBonds FatDog64 speaker is listed as an INPUT device, Maybe he is a spy in real life :shock:

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Flash
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#7 Post by Flash »

Try it out and see if you can really record anything from the speaker.

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greengeek
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#8 Post by greengeek »

Funnily enough I did something similar over 40 years ago at a school camp - each cabin had an intercom speaker and I connected the wiring into my boom box and recorded the babble from all the other cabins. Then I played ABBA through the speakers. Never realised what an annoying geeky child I must have been. :oops:

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8Geee
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#9 Post by 8Geee »

And I thought hacking into the built-in mic was bad enough.

Don't look behind you... the TV set has a built-in mic so you can use voice-command to change channels. Now theres a way to steal your voiceprint, if I ever read about one. :twisted:
Linux user #498913 "Some people need to reimagine their thinking."
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Burn_IT
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#10 Post by Burn_IT »

You can turn that off and also block the voice command channel in your router.
Anyone too lazy to use a finger on a remote deserves to be hacked.
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett

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