According to research,a study has depicted that it is scientifically possible to eavesdrop on a conversation through the use of a light bulb. The term given to the process of recovering audios from optical signals from afar is known as Lamphone.
A study has proven and had further revealed that hackers could use an ordinary light bulb to listen and observe your conversations from afar. The study which was conducted by the researchers at the BenGurion university of the Negev and Weizmann institute of science in Israel shows that a conversation can be eavesdropped from 25 metres away if there is a hanging light bulb in close proximity of where the conversation is takinh place.
This side channel attack is known as the Lamphone and requires a remote electro- optical sensor that analyses a light bulb frequency response to sound. Up till now studies have shown that side channel attacks required compromised device placed in physical proximity of a target or smart home devices such as Google home or Amazon.
This Lamphone recovers sound optically via an electro- optical sensor which is directed at a hanging bulb , but for this type of experiment to work ,an electronic optical sensor is required ,the research also pointed out that a telescope and a voice- to - text and a voice application like Google speech are required also.
In addition,the range at which this attack works solely depends on the microscope and can be increased by using a bigger and more powerful microscope. When a conversation takes place in close proximity to a light bulb, the sounds gently vibrate the surface of the light bulb. Using the electro optical sensor and microscope directly pointed at the bulb ,these vibrations can inturn be collected by the electro optical sensor and then the audio signal can be transcribed using a voice to text app like Google cloud.
However there are certain limitations which may cause this hack not to work.
* The bulb needs to be hanging and should be clearly visible from where the telescope is aimed at it.
* This hack may not work if there is a lampshade or curtain in the way.
* Lastly ,in order for this hack to work the sound of conversation or music in the room where the light bulb is ,should be sufficiently loud.
So you definitely have nothing to fear if you can close your curtains or bulbs with lampshade or precisely switch it off and loose it while you feel someone might be sneaking on you ,then this hack won't be of any effect if you do so.
Content created and supplied by: Chesterman (via Opera News )
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