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by phlux 5475 days ago
>I fail to see how this is news at all.

I'd just like to point out both that I forget things some times and other people are new to stuff all the time.

So, while it might not be NEWS - it is always good to keep stuff conscious.

As an example, I was actively training to lock sport some years ago - but havent done anything in a long time (though I still lie to myself and believe I am into it) - but honestly have never thought of using a secret hidden webcam sized CMOS to zoom in on a lock waiting for the key to arrive.

Fuck, that is actually brilliant.

Now - instead of anything - I need to worry about a secret camera pointed at a keypad (rather than lock).

I ONLY use the keypad to enter my apt building.

At my, now previous, office - I have used the keypad to code entry to the door for 10 years.

I was caught by some anon who lived in the building and she interrogated me as to who I worked for, why I used the code, why not a key etc...

She stated "someone could see you entering that code!" - I replied "I'd see them close to me!" - obviously though I am wrong now.

I thought she was a crazy bitch - but thinking of this, now not so much.

In fact - a small device with a cam and a 3G card with periodic pic uploads is perfect and can be built for cheap if not on the market.

Even my new office has keycode access, where when I went for the interview (over by pixar) I found myself trying to spy on workers of the building entering their codes as they returned from lunch...

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You know what would be an interesting defeat of such attacks: in addition to keycode - you have a timing around the entry. i.e. first keypress, wait 2 seconds, second wait 1, third wait 4....

1 comments

Or fake key presses.
@cloudwalking At first I thought that fake keypress would not work if you were expected to open the door; meaning youd actually have to perform the correct press to get the door open... But you could conceivably either fake a press before - or do a bunch of presses afterward to fake the sequence... I guess this really needs to be tested - specifically against the ability of the camera/viewer to be able to tell when the 1/4" depression of a key really occurs. I think the take away here, though, is for anyone using a keypad to act like they pressed 10 keys rather than the requisite 4# sequence. Ideally with the 4 numbers non sequntial in your finger movements.
I've done this for year when entering my pin code for making payments or cash withdrawals. I position my hand so that it obscures all the keys, and then move one finger a tiny bit that does the actual key press, and another finger in an obvious way to make it seem as if I'm pressing another key as the one I'm actually pressing.
I go one step further - I consciously think of another number as I enter my PIN, just in case a Telepath is nearby!