GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New research from the University of Florida and the University of Electro-Communications in Japan has uncovered a security vulnerability in everyday microphones found in speakers and laptops.
The study shows that some devices emit electromagnetic interference that can leak audio information. This flaw could allow malicious actors to eavesdrop without physically accessing the device.
Dr. Sara Rampazzi, the lead researcher and a cybersecurity expert at UF, said average users aren’t at risk, but high-level conversations may be vulnerable.
“That is not a problem for average users, but it’s more related to like a critical conversation,” she said. “That can be government, it can be companies.”
Rampazzi also noted that advances in artificial intelligence could make exploiting these vulnerabilities even easier.
It remains unclear whether tech companies will adapt future devices to prevent such risks.