Beware! Hackers could use your brainwaves to guess your password

Hackers could soon delve into your thoughts via brainwave-sensing devices. Security experts are sounding the alarm about wearable gadgets using EEG signals to detect emotions and control devices such as robots.

Experts say such devices can be exploited by hackers to gain access to sensitive and personal data.

A handful of brainwave-sensing devices are already available in the market. One such device, the $800 (£618) Epoch + headset, designed by Emotiv, has been designed to convert your brain’s EEG signals to commands that can help you control other devices such as PCs.

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According to MIT Technology Review, EEG headsets such as the Epoch + can be used by cybercriminals to guess people’s passwords and other private data.

A new study conducted by Nitesh Saxena, associate professor at the University of Alabama, also shows how this kind of technology can be abused for more nefarious purposes.

The study involved participants typing in random passwords and PIN numbers, while the AI (Artificial Intelligence) software learnt to link between their typing and brainwaves.

After observing a participant input a mere 200 characters, the AI was able to predict new characters being typed.

 

 

 

 

 

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