Abstract
Network security is a never ending battle between the system design
engineers and the computer hackers. In an effort to keep the hackers out,
engineers have developed an impressive array of encryption algorithms,
authentication protocols and intrusion detection systems. The hackers have
developed an equally impressive way of bypassing the security walls.
However, both groups have continued to overlook one of
the most vulnerable links in any computer network: the clients’ keyboard.
Keyboards are still the input device of choice for the computers. A lot of
“sensitive” information like the usernames, passwords, credit card information,
etc., is passed through it.
All keyboards perform the basic function of decoding the
keystrokes to appropriate binary code that is read by the CPU. A small, easily
purchased capture device can be attached to the computer keyboard port and can
remain there for weeks, which can store decoded keystrokes directly from the
keyboard and could reveal the sensitive information to the hacker. Thus the
potential danger of having our network passwords and other important data
stolen is always lurking around.
So far, there hasn’t been a single wired keyboard that
provides a solution to this problem. Probably, because this threat has been
overlooked.
The system of encrypting the data before transferring it
through the port and later decrypting it solves this threat. So in this paper
as a part we will look in detail about the keyboard capture devices & its
threats to security. In the remaining half comes our ideas of securing the
keyboard. If this is a success, then probably we could produce the first fully
secured wired keyboard.
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