We can't trust manufacturers not to build keyboards with undetectable hardware keyloggers now and in the future because the NSA has plenty of money. I say this idea isn't new to them at all and I hope that people in the future will keep taking the different models apart to hack around.
Keyloggers inside everyone's keyboard could be useful to the NSA and FBI who could pay companies to bake them in. When you're suspected of a serious crime for example or you get into serious trouble, you could get your storage devices taken away. Encrypted or not, your keyboard could then reveal passwords if it's the correct model. This even breaks forward secrecy. These tiny computers inside keyboards meant to control light flashing, sound, card reading, and more could possibly also control which keys to record and what to throw away based on repetition... if the keylogger's space is limited. Keylogger functionality can be massive, they can use compression or run through the text file it generated over the years, keep one copy of repeated phrases, and throw away the rest. An attacker could possibly talk to your keyboard through your computer if it runs systemd or Windows assuming the interface to the keylogger can be that convenient.
view the rest of the comments →
[–] Kal 3 points 5 points 8 points (+8|-3) ago (edited ago)
This is sort of what I figured. How is Linux going to give a fuck about anything a keyboard wants to do besides input keystrokes? M$ will probably play ball for what the NSA wants devices to do, but to my knowledge, open source doesn't give two shits about all these issues you guys on windows are concerned with.
[–] 2716057 1 point 7 points 8 points (+8|-1) ago
This is not what they mean. Microsoft-branded keyboards and mice all use the same (lack of) encryption, so this device can snoop on the transmission between the keyboard and USB dongle.
The firmware you're using on your computer (Linux, OSX, BSD, etc.) is irrelevant. You could use a Microsoft keyboard on a Linux machine, and the Teensy would still pick it up.
[–] Kal 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
Ahh, you're talking about a wireless keyboard. I suppose that's plausible if there was a target they wanted to snoop on. They could get within wireless range, which could be tricky.
I don't see how the info could just phone home over the internet, however (which is what I thought you meant.)
Teensy seems to be all about windows from the skimming of the artice I've done.
[–] [deleted] 1 point 0 points 1 point (+1|-1) ago (edited ago)
[–] kltpzyxm ago (edited ago)
Thats not at all how it works. If it reads as a generic usb device then it doesnt matter what operating system the host operating system uses, all commands will be passed and executed as though they're coming from a legitimate user typing away on the keyboard.
And as for the Teensy itself, its pretty much the defacto standard for home brew keyboards and game controllers because there are several fully functional open source firmware packages available for it. It also works on all operating systems.
As for injecting data, all you have to do is spoof the real keyboard and the os doesnt even realize theres a second transmitter.
[–] Kal ago
So linux would just let 'generic usb device' do whatever it wants such as phoning home a log stored on the keyboard hardware itself? How would it even know how to interact with generic usb device? I am pretty ignorant about how exactly Linux would handle an unknown usb device like this, but as far as I understand, it simply wouldn't work until code was written on how to interact with it. Wouldn't Linux devs be asking themselves why the fuck a keyboard wants to phone home?