Author: Abigail Elise / Source: WMUR
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
Hackers can use malware to obtain users’ passwords by monitoring brainwaves with electroencephalograph headsets, according to a study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham on Wednesday.
The devices, which can be purchased for $150 to $800, use electrophysiological processors to scan brain activity and convert it into signals. The technology has been used in the medical industry for more than 50 years as a noninvasive way to track electrical neural activity. The American EEG Society was founded in 1947, the same year the first International EEG congress was held.
EEG headsets are often used with video games or robotic toys, but researchers discovered that people who pause video games and then log into their bank account while wearing headsets were at risk for having their passwords stolen by malicious software.
“These emerging devices open immense opportunities for everyday users,” said Associate Professor Nitesh Saxena, Ph.D. “However, they could also raise significant security and privacy threats as companies work…
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