Turn Speakers to Microphones

[rofl cake]

It is possible to manipulate the headphones (or earphones) connected to a computer, silently turning them into a pair of eavesdropping microphones - with software alone

Research Link
Proof of Concept: PDF

 

[Qraktzyl]

"In the case of an active (selfpowered) speaker, there is an amplifier between the jack and the speaker, hence the signal won't be passed from the output to the input side [6]"

Very important to note this, as it will work in the presence of a passive speaker.

 

[kalle]

Read while ago, sounds scary if is possible.

 

[rofl cake]

I hope @Derp will convert at least one of his speakers to a microphone so we can hear him after years of silence. ;P

 

[Qraktzyl]

I hope @Derp will convert at least one of his speakers to a microphone so we can hear him after years of silence. ;P

@Derp has a mic, he forgot it was active today and played a video. I heard the playback in the background. He then said that even tough he has a mic, he doesn't want to talk. What a Derp.

 

[Derp]

Before people start freaking out over this (And buzzfeed makes a video about it, yikes)

Read the official paper x) : https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1611/1611.07350.pdf

 

[ehthe]

Well there's nothing new here. The possibility was already known by most knowledgeable people in the industry, there's even an option in the windows sound settings now