Researchers recover typed text using audio recording of keystrokes

[joelmold]

very interesting research...

uc berkeley press release

The researchers were able to take several 10-minute sound recordings of users typing at a keyboard, feed the audio into a computer, and use an algorithm to recover up to 96 percent of the characters entered.

What makes the technique feasible is that each keystroke makes a relatively distinct sound, however subtle, when hit. Typical users type about 300 characters per minute, leaving enough time for a computer to isolate the sounds of individual keystrokes and categorize the letters based upon the statistical characteristics of English text. For example, the letters "th" will occur together more frequently than "tj," and the word "yet" is far more common than "yrg."

"Using statistical learning theory, the computer can categorize the sounds of each key as it's struck and develop a good first guess with an accuracy of 60 percent for characters, and 20 percent for words," said Li Zhuang, a UC Berkeley Ph.D. student in computer science and lead author of the study. "We then use spelling and grammar checks to refine the results, which increased the character accuracy to 70 percent and the word accuracy to 50 percent. The text is somewhat readable at this point."

 

[ShotgunSteven]

So would it work if they were using a Dvorak?

 

[cjgallen]

That's cool.

 

[PingSpike]

Yes, but can it accurately record:

OMGHI2U i b33t 0ff rt n0w

 

[EyeMWing]

With my home keyboard, I *MYSELF* can "read" the keystrokes of other people. I'm working on being able to do it on some of the lab systems, in particular the one I can't see when I'm sitting down at the desk.

 

[OulOat]

I bet the NSA was using this 10 years ago

 

[crystal]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
So would it work if they were using a Dvorak?

I would think so. Pattern of sound is what important. On a keyboards with a different layout would product the same sound patterns if type the same line of text.

 

[tami]

pretty cool, athough i am curious if these results were grabbed from individuals who type normally (with 10 fingers as taught) and/or if they grabbed results from people who touch-type or use fewer than 10 fingers. i certainly don't use all of my fingers when typing.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: tami
pretty cool, athough i am curious if these results were grabbed from individuals who type normally (with 10 fingers as taught) and/or if they grabbed results from people who touch-type or use fewer than 10 fingers. i certainly don't use all of my fingers when typing.

I doubt it matters.
It probably associates sound x with letter y, and since you're likely to be constant in your use of fingers/letter, the same/similar sound should be made each time, so it can work it out (from my understanding of what they did).

 

[atiyeh]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
With my home keyboard, I *MYSELF* can "read" the keystrokes of other people. I'm working on being able to do it on some of the lab systems, in particular the one I can't see when I'm sitting down at the desk.

.....geek. no seriously.

 

[Epic Fail]

time to steal passwords?

 

[MangoTBG]

Originally posted by: yamadakun
time to steal passwords?

Try "wiretap" your convos?

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: yamadakun
time to steal passwords?

easier to just attach a bug on the kb port

 

[Anubis]

doesn this only work with people that type correctly? because i seriously doubt someone could figure out what i am typeing just by just listning to me type

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Anubis
doesn this only work with people that type correctly? because i seriously doubt someone could figure out what i am typeing just by just listning to me type

It works because each key produces a slightly different sound. If you listen carefully, you can actually hear the differences.

 

[fbrdphreak]

What about on an apple or thinkpad laptop keyboard?

 

[Bassyhead]

:Q

 

[jman19]

Originally posted by: Anubis
doesn this only work with people that type correctly? because i seriously doubt someone could figure out what i am typeing just by just listning to me type

Most people can't figure out what you're typing even by reading what you wrote

J/k, of course

 

[radioouman]

So if I change keyboards, all of the sounds will be different.....

 

[ColdFusion718]

just grow your nails out a bit and that'll be fine

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Anubis
doesn this only work with people that type correctly? because i seriously doubt someone could figure out what i am typeing just by just listning to me type

It works because each key produces a slightly different sound. If you listen carefully, you can actually hear the differences.

Uhhh... is that dependent on the specific keyboard?

So when you can tell the difference, you have to remember what keyboard they're using... or am I missing something?

 

[GreenGhost]

Originally posted by: OulOat
I bet the NSA was using this 10 years ago

Sure. That's how they learned about WMD's...

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: jman19

Originally posted by: Anubis
doesn this only work with people that type correctly? because i seriously doubt someone could figure out what i am typeing just by just listning to me type

Most people can't figure out what you're typing even by reading what you wrote

J/k, of course

yra thats pretty much true

 

[LordSnailz]

hey I saw this on tv once, I think it was on number or something ... that's pretty slick.