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looorg [soylentnews.org] writes:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/this-thermal-attack-can-read-your-password-from-the-heat-your-fingertips-leave-behind/ [zdnet.com]

Thermal keyboard attack

While an interesting idea I wonder, like with a lot of these "attacks" how useful in practice they really are.

The heat doesn't last very long, so you have to be there basically as you type or within seconds. After just 20 seconds the heat is dropping fast and after a minute you are basically guessing.

Still 4 digit ATM pins could be in deep trouble. But then after you entered the 4 digit pin you usually push a few more numbers to get your money and make various choices at the machine. So it might be a difference between real live usage and laboratory usage.

The heat or colour will then tell the order in what was used last to the keys that are fading was the once used earliest.

But still unless it can tell a few keys appear that might be very similar in heat you end up with options. But then getting or guessing a password from a limited pool of characters is better or faster then guessing one from a larger pool.

So the new security feature or recommendation will be to before you leave the ATM press ALL the keys or after you get your money just stand there for a minute or so and put the money into your wallet so you let the machine or the keypad cool down.

How will the camera note if you use the same keys over again (AxxxxAxxxxxA)? Will it know if you hit the A key then multiple times?

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