A group of researchers claim to have developed malware that can extract data from a single computer without an internet connection, (or from a camera machine ή από ένα ηχητικό μηχάνημα) χρησιμοποιώντας ήχους που παράγονται από τον επεξεργαστή του μηχανήματος και από τους ανεμιστήρες ψύξης!!.
In their document researchers at Israel's Ben Gurion University are describing how an attack can be carried out against isolated machines that should not normally be accessible.
While until recently there have been corresponding demonstrations using ultrasonic waves coming from the speakers of the machine, Israeli researchers are talking about transmitting data through the speed of the CPU and machine fans, which does not require any speakers, cameras or other material.
In a related question, the researchers explain: “We use a successful method of data transmission from a cooled computer with air, without the use of audio material and with a smartphone in the same space. This method can be used to leak data from various types of IT equipment, as well as from integrated IoT systems and devices that do not have audio material, but contain fans of various types and sizes.
The malware which will probably infect machines (perhaps via a USB), works a bit like morse code. Once installed, it detects data on the machine and transmits it by controlling the speed of the machine's processor and cooling fans, creating acoustic waveforms that are received and decoded at a nearby device eavesdropping (possibly from a smartphone capable of relaying the data to the criminal).
Of course, that means speed transports is relatively subdued: The researchers say they were able to extract data at up to 900 bits/hour from a listening device placed within 8 meters of the machine.
This research seems to be inspired by a similar one badBIOS, which reported that it could somehow hide a malware into the core of an operating system and leak data by transmitting ultrasound through the computer speakers.
All this may seem far-fetched, you don't understand why someone would go to such trouble for your computer. Obviously no one cares about a mere mortal's personal computer, but industrial espionage, national espionage, and espionage against a senior executive of a businesss takes very seriously any imaginative idea that can give her results.
