Hacking Hardware With Sound [video]

Researchers from University of Michigan and University of South Carolina have found that accelerometers can be hacked using sound interference.

Using a “malicious” sound file they were able to inject steps into a simple fitness monitor from Fitbit that contains a MEMS accelerometer.

The FitBit was just a proof of concept and not a significant security risk but accelerometers can be found in anything from phones to tablets to cars to medical equipment and they’re prone to the same type of attack.

The researchers have also found out that the interference remains effective even when combined with videos and music that could be automatically played from websites, email attachments, Twitter links tapped on a smartphone, etc.

For more info check out the video below and the research paper here.