Is your computer's mouse listening to you?

"What makes this attack practical is the sensitivity of today's mice, both their high polling rate (the frequency at which they sample movement, measured in kHz), and the resolution with which they detect movement, measured in dots per inch (DPI)."

"The higher the polling rate and resolution, the more sensitive the mice become to sound. "Ultimately, these developments entail an increased usage of vulnerable mice by consumers, companies, and government entities, expanding the attack surface of potential vulnerabilities in these advanced sensor technologies," said the researchers."

"The noise level of the environment being eavesdropped upon must be low, with desks no more than 3cm thick, and with the mouse mostly stationary to isolate voice vibrations."

Mic-E-Mouse leverages the acoustic sensitivity of modern mice caused by high polling rates and high DPI to detect nearby voice vibrations. Higher polling rates and resolutions increase a mouse's responsiveness to sound, making sensitive sensor technologies more susceptible to unintended acoustic capture. Widespread adoption of advanced mice across consumers, companies, and government entities increases the potential attack surface for such side-channel vulnerabilities. Practical limitations constrain real-world exploitation: ambient noise must be low, desks should be no more than 3cm thick, and the mouse must remain mostly stationary to isolate voice vibrations.

Read at CSO Online