Author Topic: Are there any known malware that can hide inside keyboard apart from BadUSB?  (Read 5651 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

REDACTED

  • Guest
I might have had a malware in old pc, and then i got new pc and plugged the old ps/2 keyboard used in old pc, to the new pc. Could my new pc be infected via keyboard?

BadUSB viruses reprogram the firmware of the usb controller of usb devices, and I see that this steelseries 7g keyboard also has some kind of micro processors, and usb controller because it also has usb plug even though the keyboard itself operates on ps/2 plug in. BadUSB works in a way, that it has added firmware in the micro controller that gives device keyboard functionality and then automatically for an example opens command line and writes commands to connect to malicious ip to download the actual spyware.

Steelseries 7g has 2 usb ports on keyboard, and microphone and headphone jack plug ins, so there is technically plenty of things to work with if someone wanted to put malicious code inside of the device.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2016, 11:02:16 AM by Irf8 »

Offline polonus

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 33891
  • malware fighter
Scan images for malcode and be suspicious of photo's for instance,
where you do not know the source of, and that can/may fiddle maliciously with your firmware.

Hence as extra protection I have Metadefender scan all my downloads before actual download.

polonus
Cybersecurity is more of an attitude than anything else. Avast Evangelists.

Use NoScript, a limited user account and a virtual machine and be safe(r)!

REDACTED

  • Guest
Scan images for malcode and be suspicious of photo's for instance,
where you do not know the source of, and that can/may fiddle maliciously with your firmware.

Hence as extra protection I have Metadefender scan all my downloads before actual download.

polonus
This didnt answer the question.

Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
It doesn't matter if a device has microprocessors or not.
Everything that has software (can be programmed) can get infected.

If you can plug-in a USB stick in the keyboard and you can read the data, a system can get infected if there is malware on the stick.
That is why we recommend to have McShield installed.

In the two(?) years the BadUSB vulnerability is known, I've never seen a infected device nor heard form someone that he got one.
And I've seen many USB devices and I do not mean 50 or 100, but 1000's.

It is very more likely that a system get infected through other types of malware than BadUSB.

REDACTED

  • Guest
But is there any such known malware where pc could get infected from infected ps/2 keyboard?

Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
Any device that has software and is capable of transferring data can infect another device.

Offline Pondus

  • Probably Bot
  • ****
  • Posts: 37505
  • Not a avast user
But is there any such known malware where pc could get infected from infected ps/2 keyboard?
Nothing found with google search


REDACTED

  • Guest
Any device that has software and is capable of transferring data can infect another device.
So I made a mistake by using the old keyboard on new pc.

Offline Pondus

  • Probably Bot
  • ****
  • Posts: 37505
  • Not a avast user
If you want a expert to check, follow instructions  >>  https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0


Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
Why would it be a mistake ?
If the keyboard is working, use it.

REDACTED

  • Guest
Why would it be a mistake ?
If the keyboard is working, use it.
But it was used on pc that might have been infected, so if the keyboard was infected by something then new pc is now also infected.

Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
If the keyboard really was infected (chance to that is almost 0%), you already would have noticed it.
It is about the same chance that if you cough while being at the South pole you infect someone on the North pole.

REDACTED

  • Guest
If the keyboard really was infected (chance to that is almost 0%), you already would have noticed it.
It is about the same chance that if you cough while being at the South pole you infect someone on the North pole.
Are you sure I would have noticed? Some malware can hide pretty well.

Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
*sigh*

Offline DavidR

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Certainly Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 88895
  • No support PMs thanks
Malware can hide, but something has to initiate it and that activity should draw some attention. Most malware is going to be trying to connect to the internet, either to pass on data or download more malware, again this draws attention to it. Both of which may be detected.

I would suggest that you visit the Steelseries forum and see if there is anything there or ask.

Many peripherals have USB ports, my Monitor has Two, but I'm not concerned that it is a likely target for malware/exploit.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security