Machines are rare, hackers can actually steal data through the power supply

Did you know that hackers can also use tools to steal data through power supply? Nowadays, many companies or institutions will physically disconnect extremely important computers from the Internet in order to prevent important data from being leaked. This can also be said to ensure that computer data is not leaked. One of the ultimate ways to get stolen by hackers. However, in theory, this method is not safe for insiders who want to steal confidential data, and this is why companies continue to strengthen internal security monitoring.

Image source: Cyber ​​Security Labs @ Ben Gurion University

Recently, a foreign network security research institution discovered a method that can steal resources from a computer when it is completely physically disconnected from the network. The method called POWER-SUPPLaY discovered by Dr. Mordechai Guri of the Cyber ​​Security Research Center of Ben Gurion University in Israel, as the name suggests, transmits data to the outside through the ultrasonic waves of the computer power supply.

The specific method involves a piece of malware that changes the load on the CPU, as well as a mobile phone. By changing the load of the CPU, the ultrasonic frequency of the power supply will also change accordingly, and mobile phones that are no more than 5 meters away can receive these ultrasonic waves, thereby achieving the purpose of transmitting data.

Of course, this method also has quite a few limitations, including the need to run malware or code on the computer, the need to have a mobile phone nearby, and the 50 bits per second transmission speed means that it can only transmit a maximum of about 10,000 words per hour. Simple It is very difficult to implement and requires knowing what the target file is and where it is.

In fact, this is not the first method discovered by Dr. Mordechai Guri that can steal data when the Internet is physically disconnected. Previously, he also developed Air-ViBeR, a method that uses specific vibrations from a speed-adjustable fan in the chassis to transmit data. However, this method is less efficient because it requires a mobile phone to convert the received vibrations into 1s and 0s. .