Scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Israel) have presented an innovative method for stealing data from a computer monitor. The study was published on the arXiv aggregator.
According to scientist Mordechai Guri, every computer LCD monitor generates a virtually inaudible noise due to the oscillations of coils, capacitors and internal vibrations that is related to the image on the screen. Attackers can use special software to steal data.
The new method, called PIXHELL, uses a hacked laptop or smartphone within two meters of a target PC with a monitor. The device can record sounds from the computer screen, interpret them, obtain images with private information and transmit them to hackers.
As Guri explained, LCD monitors produce noise with a frequency of 0 to 22 kHz, while the human ear can hear sounds in the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This makes the PIXHELL attack particularly stealthy. Using a hacked device, it is possible to receive data from a computer with a monitor at a rate of up to 20 bits per second.
