Researchers find way to listen in on headphones from afar

Researchers from HKUST and Hong Kong Polytechnic University presented InjectEave, an attack that injects EM signals in the 0–9 MHz range to make analog components emit audio. The method can intercept sound from headphones, VoIP phones, and smart devices from up to 30 meters, including through walls.

• Attack works on 11 commercial devices from Sony, Apple, Philips, HP, Xiaomi, others
• Headphone audio interception range up to 30 meters with RF amplifier
• Attack requires SDR USRP B210, antennas, and Siglent spectrum analyzer
• InjectEave bypasses encryption and masking as leak occurs via analog path