Eavesdropping on laptop, smart speaker microphones demonstrated

a year ago

Researchers discovered that microphones in laptops and smart speakers emit radio signals that can be intercepted, allowing eavesdropping without device tampering.
The attack involves capturing unintentional radio signals from microphones using simple FM radio receivers and antennas, costing as little as $100.
Digital MEMS microphones, common in devices like laptops and smart speakers, leak radio signals containing audio data, which can pass through walls.
Even when not in active use, microphones can pick up and transmit signals if enabled by apps like Spotify, YouTube, or Google Drive.
Eavesdropping was most effective on laptops due to long wires acting as antennas, amplifying the leaked signals.
Machine learning tools from companies like OpenAI and Microsoft can clean up intercepted signals and transcribe them to text for keyword searches.
Simple design changes, such as relocating microphones or tweaking audio processing protocols, could mitigate the vulnerability.
Researchers have shared their findings with manufacturers, but it's unclear if companies will implement the suggested fixes.

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