Researchers from the University of Uruguay have shown that the electromagnetic radiation of HDMI can be used to gain access to the image on the screen, opening up new opportunities for hackers. In the analog video era, this was relatively simple, but with the advent of digital protocols such as HDMI, the task has become much more complex. However, even digital signals generate electromagnetic radiation during transmission between the computer and the display.

 

The method and its effectiveness

 

The researchers trained an artificial intelligence (AI) model on samples of original and intercepted HDMI signals. This method allowed them to decode the radiation into screenshots with an accuracy of about 70%. While far from ideal, this accuracy is sufficient to identify most information, including entered passwords, financial data, and encrypted messages.

 

Check and results

 

To test their attack method, the researchers used text recognition software on visual images recovered by their AI model. They were able to compare the extracted text with the original screen content and noted that their method reduced errors by 60% compared to previous studies.

 

Real threats

 

Hackers can implement HDMI eavesdropping in several ways:

 

• Install an inconspicuous signal capture device inside the building.
• Comes with a radio antenna to capture HDMI radiation leaks.

 

Such attacks are already being used against government institutions and sensitive industrial facilities. However, these organizations probably already protect their premises from electromagnetic leaks.

 

Danger for ordinary users

 

For ordinary home or office users, the threat is also great. The deployment of AI models and the necessary equipment to capture the signal is fast, and while there is no total danger to everyone, unknown devices or people around can pose a greater threat than before.