Study Reveals AI Tool Can Steal Passwords by Listening Keystrokes

According to recent research, putting your computer password while on a Zoom conversation puts you at danger for a cyberattack since hackers may now use an artificial intelligence (AI) application to "listen" to your keyboard and capture your login information.

According to the study, AI is able to recognize the particular keys being pushed simply listening to the typing noises. Researchers noted in a report released on August 3 that the likelihood of sound-based cyberattacks has grown with the growing use of video conferencing services like Zoom and the accessibility of devices with microphones.

How accurate could it be when it comes to stealing passwords?

The AI ​​tool studied by the researchers demonstrated the ability to accurately decipher text, including passwords, based on the sounds of keystrokes, achieving more than 90 percent accuracy. The study involved researchers from the Universities of Durham, Surrey and Royal Holloway, who showed that microphones can recognize distinct handwriting patterns. This revelation suggests that people who use laptops in public places may be at risk of their texts being intercepted and then decrypted.

How do the experts find about this issue?

This conclusion was reached by a team of researchers after completing the task of training an artificial intelligence model. They achieved this by pressing each of the MacBook Pro's 36 keys 25 times while recording the accompanying sounds. They then fed that audio data into an artificial intelligence model, allowing it to accurately identify the unique pattern associated with each key.

The researchers' artificial intelligence model showed a remarkable 93% accuracy in interpreting keystrokes from typing sounds recorded on a MacBook using Zoom video conferencing software. In addition, accuracy increased to 95 percent when recording keystrokes with the iPhone 13 mini.

OpenAI bought Gloabal Illumination

Meanwhile, Global Illumination, a New York-based firm that uses AI to create innovative tools, infrastructure, and digital experiences, has been bought by OpenAI, the AI company that created the popular AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT. In its almost seven-year history, this is OpenAI's first public acquisition. The agreement's details weren't made public.

In a brief blog post that was posted on its official site, OpenAI stated that it was "very excited for the impact they'll have here at OpenAI." To work on our flagship products, such as ChatGPT, the whole team has joined OpenAI.

Thomas Dimson, Taylor Gordon, and Joey Flynn founded Global Illumination in 2021, and since then, they have worked on a variety of initiatives. The Global Illumination team planned and produced products at Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Google, Pixar, and Riot Games early on with funding from VC companies Paradigm, Benchmark, and Slow.