Researchers have developed a technique using artificial intelligence (AI) that can intercept electromagnetic radiation from video cables, allowing hackers to see what’s on your screen with great accuracy.
The team from Uruguay’s University of the Republic says their method is already being used in the wild and is good enough that these attacks are likely happening.
In the past, it was difficult for hackers to reconstruct what was on a screen by detecting leakage from video cables. However, digital signals still leak some electromagnetic radiation as they transmit between devices.
By training an AI model on samples of matching original and intercepted HDMI signals, researchers were able to decode those leaks into readable screen captures with around 70% accuracy.
This means that hackers could potentially monitor sensitive information like password entries, financial data, or encrypted communications.
The team’s method improves the error rate for this type of HDMI cable tapping by a whopping 60% compared to previous techniques.
There are several ways hackers could pull off this HDMI eavesdropping in the real world. They could plant a discreet signal-capturing device inside the target building or use a radio antenna nearby to grab leaked HDMI radiation as it happens.
The researchers say these attacks are already being used against government agencies and sensitive industrial settings, which likely shield their facilities against electromagnetic leaks.
However, for average home or office users, the barrier to entry is still high. Deploying AI models and signal-capturing equipment isn’t trivial.
“Governments are worried about this, but I wouldn’t say that the normal user should be too concerned. But if you really care about your security, this could be a problem,” explains lead researcher Federico Larroca.
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Source: https://www.techspot.com/news/104015-ai-can-see-what-screen-reading-hdmi-electromagnetic.html