Fujitsu Wireless Keyboard Found to be Vulnerable to Keystroke Injection Attacks
- Fujitsu LX390 is proven to be dangerous to use in critical operations, as it can leak passwords and other sensitive information.
- An attacker could also compromise the target system through a series of keystroke injection attacks.
- The model is no longer officially supported by Fujitsu, so the affected individuals will have to replace the product on their own.
As discovered by Matthias Deeg, a researcher who works for the German cybersecurity firm SySS, Fujitsu’s LX390 wireless keyboard set is vulnerable to exploitation. The attack scenarios can involve password stealing and keystroke injection, which brings out a highly problematic situation for its users. The number of people using the product is also pretty high, as the LX390 set (mouse and keyboard) was seen as a cost-effective solution featuring a relatively high build quality.
Source: Amazon
The problem with the LX390 set is that the wireless communication that goes on between the keyboard and the connecting dongle isn’t encrypted. This means that a hacker using a 2.4GHz transceiver can eavesdrop on the user’s input, stealing passwords or anything else that is typed on the computer. The maximum distance that a hacker may sit and still be able to steal passwords from the target is up to 150 feet (45 meters), but walls or other factors will reduce this number. Besides the stealing of the passwords, which is described in “CVE-2019-18201”, the researchers have proved that it’s also possible to launch keystroke injection attacks (CVE-2019-18200). The team used a tool called “GNU Radio” to take full control of the target system, following a series of keystroke injections.
Now, the sad thing with all of this is that Fujitsu no longer supports the product, so the people who use it should not expect the flaws to be fixed. The German researchers have tested newer models from the same manufacturer such as the LX410 and LX960, and they confirm that the vulnerabilities have been fixed there. This means that no matter how well your LX390 may still be holding up, it has been rendered obsolete and risky now.
Of course, Fujitsu could fix this issue via a firmware update, but why not give people one more reason to throw away their old product and buy a new one? However, if you decide to replace your existing keyboard and mouse, don’t forget to at least dispose of the old set to an electronics recycling facility. If you are now looking for something entirely different, take a look at our list with the best gaming keyboards you can find on the market right now.
Do you own a Fujitsu LX390? Are you planning to replace it with a newer and supported model or will you stick with your current keyboard and mouse? Let us know in the comments down below, or on our socials, on Facebook and Twitter.