Wireless Mice and Keyboards Might Be Flawed

25 Mar Wireless Mice and Keyboards Might Be Flawed

Wireless mice and wireless keyboards function on a simple process. The mouse or keyboard comes with a small transmitter called a dongle. The dongle fits into a computer’s USB port and communicates wirelessly with the mouse or keyboard. Most people assume that this communication between mouse or keyboard and dongle is closed, especially because that’s how the devices were designed.

However, Bastille, a security firm, released a notice stating that wireless mice and keyboards may be vulnerable to an attack. This attack is transmitted from an antenna nearby and can take control over the mouse or keyboard in question.

The companies affected by this vulnerability are Logitech, Dell, Microsoft, HP, Amazon, Gigabyte, and Lenovo. If you have a wireless mouse or keyboard that might be affected, update your computer as soon as possible. If no updates have been put out by the mouse or keyboard company, unplug the dongle and don’t use the wireless mouse or keyboard. Bluetooth is safer, but the safest method is to use devices that connect to your computer by cables, otherwise called wired devices.

 

For more information, please review the article here: http://www.wired.com/2016/02/flaws-in-wireless-mice-and-keyboards-let-hackers-type-on-your-pc/