Security

Hackers Find New Ways To Steal From You Through Computer Monitors

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monitor hackers
Image courtesy CPO Magazine

Every now and then reports come out revealing new methods that hackers try to innovate so as to smoothly go on with their malicious activities. Well, it looks like a new execution has been in the works for some time now. The concept of getting hacked is known to basically everyone as an attempt to infiltrate the CPU without administrative rights. But it seems like hackers have found a way to attack users without even getting in through the computer.

A new study from cybersecurity firm Red Balloon Security shows that you might have to be extra careful about the content you get from your computer screen. This is because attackers have found a queer way to manipulate what you see on your monitor without even controlling what goes on in the computer itself.

A modern-day monitor contains its own kind of computer responsible for displaying pixels and selecting input. It’s generally known as an on-screen display controller. Red Balloon’s research found a way that attackers are able to execute code that gains them access to the controller of the monitor.

With this, they are able to input overlaying pixels and make you see exactly what they want rather than what’s real.

If a hacker redirects you to a banking website, for instance, the site will not have an SSL Lock that is usually indicated by a padlock icon on the search bar of a browser. Having gained access to your monitor, they can easily place a fake icon on the screen so a user can think that they are in a secure site. This then gets the attacker to siphon whatever they want as the user navigates throughout the site.

This can go as far as compromising the balance amount on your account and so forth. So, you should be careful about sites that you are directed to. According to Red Balloon, the hack is referred to as “Monitor Darkly”. The vulnerability was especially noticed on Dell monitors to which the company was informed.

As for now, Dell didn’t provide any other solution other than recommending users to upgrade to newer monitors. But it is a scenario that can possibly be taken advantage of with other brands as well.

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