Experts from MIT have found out that a smartphone can spy on you not only through the camera.
Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are sounding the alarm — simple light sensors in our smartphones are fraught with a serious threat to privacy. As it turned out, these tiny sensors that adjust the screen brightness can be turned into full-fledged hidden cameras to capture the user and their surroundings.
A group of researchers from MIT's CSAIL laboratory has developed a special computer visualization algorithm that allows you to recreate an image based on subtle fluctuations in light that the sensor detects.
As noted by Felix Hyde, a professor at Princeton University who was not involved in the study, the threat affects almost all gadgets in our daily lives. However, until now, this danger has been underestimated.
Yang Liu, Ph. D. from MIT and co-author of the study, emphasizes that light sensors record user actions without their knowledge or permission. And in combination with the smartphone screen, they can be a real danger, allowing intruders to discreetly monitor the owner's actions.
The technology can capture various actions — such as scrolling through pages or selecting menu items. In addition, sensors allow you to discreetly spy on watching videos on your smartphone.
To protect users, scientists suggest the following measures for software developers:
As technology evolves, so do the risks of privacy violations. Another example is the method of remote interception of input text by key sounds.
Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are sounding the alarm — simple light sensors in our smartphones are fraught with a serious threat to privacy. As it turned out, these tiny sensors that adjust the screen brightness can be turned into full-fledged hidden cameras to capture the user and their surroundings.
A group of researchers from MIT's CSAIL laboratory has developed a special computer visualization algorithm that allows you to recreate an image based on subtle fluctuations in light that the sensor detects.
As noted by Felix Hyde, a professor at Princeton University who was not involved in the study, the threat affects almost all gadgets in our daily lives. However, until now, this danger has been underestimated.
Yang Liu, Ph. D. from MIT and co-author of the study, emphasizes that light sensors record user actions without their knowledge or permission. And in combination with the smartphone screen, they can be a real danger, allowing intruders to discreetly monitor the owner's actions.
The technology can capture various actions — such as scrolling through pages or selecting menu items. In addition, sensors allow you to discreetly spy on watching videos on your smartphone.
To protect users, scientists suggest the following measures for software developers:
- Limit the accuracy and speed of light sensors at the software level.
- Develop an access control system so that the user can decide for himself which applications to allow the use of sensors.
- Change the physical location of sensors in the device, for example, place them on the side of the smartphone.
As technology evolves, so do the risks of privacy violations. Another example is the method of remote interception of input text by key sounds.
