Apple keyboard firmware hack demonstrated

Spyhop · 1 Aug 2009 at 23:59

s'a bit wacky, but credit to them for coming up with it

Edward78 · 2 Aug 2009 at 00:05

Why would a keyboard need firmware???

Spyhop · 2 Aug 2009 at 00:26

Apple have released legit updates for them several times IIRC, so there must be some benefit of having upgradable firmware.

I think the external ones look like crap anyway. White and silver, I ask you

FreeStream · 2 Aug 2009 at 00:48

Well I can't see apple being the only one with this issue.

But fair play if they can come up with a way without me knowing about it.

Wingz · 2 Aug 2009 at 01:29

is this for external Apple keyboard only?

square_nothing · 2 Aug 2009 at 11:11

Wingz said:
is this for external Apple keyboard only?

no i think it applys for exsternal usb ones aswell. altho i dont know if it applys for a non apple pc keybord, as im guessing they dont contain the flash memery or ram.

NickK · 2 Aug 2009 at 11:25

square_nothing said:
no i think it applys for exsternal usb ones aswell. altho i dont know if it applys for a non apple pc keybord, as im guessing they dont contain the flash memery or ram.

I would suspect a lot of the more 'advanced' keyboards have programmable controllers however it's the cost of using these controllers means they're less mainstream. So if you have any haxx0r l337 keyboards then chances are they'll have enough budget and reason to use programmable controllers.

Will_3rd · 2 Aug 2009 at 13:00

That's pretty worrying, good thing I'm using my Apple keyboard with Windows though

edit: But it works with the internal ones on laptops too, crazyness.

Morgoth · 2 Aug 2009 at 13:06

Ahaha, that's pretty interesting.

Fillado · 2 Aug 2009 at 16:00

Will_3rd said:
That's pretty worrying, good thing I'm using my Apple keyboard with Windows though

Until Apple releases a way to detect the validity of keyboard firmware and patches this huge hole in their system, anyone using Apple hardware, regardless of the OS running, is vulnerable.

Edward78 · 2 Aug 2009 at 16:35

Well it isn't like keyboards cost a lot, so go get a none apple maybe.

Will_3rd · 2 Aug 2009 at 17:39

Fillado said:

Keyloggers are a problem on Windows anyway, so I guess I'm doubly in trouble

Edward78 · 3 Aug 2009 at 15:44

Will_3rd said:
That's pretty worrying, good thing I'm using my Apple keyboard with Windows though

edit: But it works with the internal ones on laptops too, crazyness.

The OS doesn't matter. Why would a keyboard need firmware though??

NickK · 3 Aug 2009 at 16:15

it means you can use the product and just change the key parts and firmware to support other locales.

markweatherill · 3 Aug 2009 at 17:21

Next up: iPod headphones firmware hacked.