Can a keyboard be infected with Malware?

[viel]

Hi,
As we know, USBs can be infected with Malware/Viruses but can Keyboard be infected?
I just plugged in my keyboard into a possibly infected computer, this keyboard is a cheap chinese "gaming" keyboard I got off Ebay, so I do not know much info about it. I am actually scared to plug it into my clean PC

Does anyone here know if malware can infect peripherals? like mice or keyboards?

Thanks

 

[Arequire]

Hi,
As we know, USBs can be infected with Malware/Viruses but can Keyboard be infected?
I just plugged in my keyboard into a possibly infected computer, this keyboard is a cheap chinese "gaming" keyboard I got off Ebay, so I do not know much info about it. I am actually scared to plug it into my clean PC

Does anyone here know if malware can infect peripherals? like mice or keyboards?

Thanks

If your keyboard has upgradable firmware, yes. This would require an attacker to have physical access to the keyboard itself to be able to reverse engineer the firmware and plant a rootkit which would be able to monitor the keystrokes of any machine the keyboard is plugged into.
I don't know if malware can achieve the same result and even if it can I doubt you'll ever see it as anything besides PoC by testing labs.

 

[Vasudev]

Does it come with Custom Macro key stroke feature? Generally I don't think keyboards can be infected. But you never know. One thing I certain, the real bacteria/virus living on keyboard is harmful.

 

[shmu26]

The malware going around nowadays doesn't work that way.
But it does sound like a good trick for the NSA to try and develop.

 

[viel]

Thanks for help guys

 

[viel]

What

Does it come with Custom Macro key stroke feature? Generally I don't think keyboards can be infected. But you never know. One thing I certain, the real bacteria/virus living on keyboard is harmful.

what is a custom macro key stroke?

 

[Arequire]

What

what is a custom macro key stroke?

Programmable macro keys that can execute a series of key sequences.

 

[viel]

Programmable macro keys that can execute a series of key sequences.

I have no idea if that feature is available on my keyboard, anyway to check?

Thanks.

 

[Arequire]

I have no idea if that feature is available on my keyboard, anyway to check?

Thanks.

There'd be software that came with it that would allow you to program the keys with the recorded action. Sometimes there's additional keys usually labelled M1, M2, etc.

 

[viel]

There'd be software that came with it that would allow you to program the keys with the recorded action. Sometimes there's additional keys usually labelled M1, M2, etc.

Thanks for your help

 

[jamescv7]

It's possible considering the fact that keystrokes are part of function as a code, therefore it can be manipulated when not patched properly.

So far attacks are related to keyloggers but as next generation comes, hardware attacks are more deadlier because of lack in security.