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abobla@lemm.ee to Privacy@lemmy.mlEnglish · 2 years ago

"Wiffract" Wi-Fi method can read letters through walls

www.techspot.com

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"Wiffract" Wi-Fi method can read letters through walls

www.techspot.com

abobla@lemm.ee to Privacy@lemmy.mlEnglish · 2 years ago
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Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have developed a novel method for imaging objects beyond the line of sight, which they've named "Wiffract." This technique...
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  • OgdenTO [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    2 years ago

    This is exactly why I don’t store my passwords as giant metal 3D cutouts of letter shapes

    • HumanPerson
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      2 years ago

      I need to stop but it’s just so convenient.

    • sbv
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      2 years ago

      but how else can you remember them

      • auth@lemmy.ml
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        2 years ago

        I don’t even know any of my passwords

  • JazzAlien@lemm.ee
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    2 years ago

    The tech to scan objects in a room using WiFi is not new. It’s very unsettling.

  • Metal Zealot@lemmy.ml
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    2 years ago

    I spy, with my little wifi…

  • Wussy@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    And here I am thinking that hanging my passwords on the wall as art was hack proof. I guess it’s time to redecorate.

    • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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      You just need to write it smaller than the Wi-Fi wavelength (about 60 nm) and you should be fine. If someone wants to read it, they have to use smaller wavelengths (i.e. higher frequencies), which means there’s a good chance that they will be blocked by your walls.

      Edit: c/2.4 GHz ≈ 125 mm I took the first value from Wikipedia, without thinking about it enough.

      • crapwittyname@lemm.ee
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        2 years ago

        I think your fag packet calculation has got a power of ten wrong somewhere. Wi-fi is GHz so that would be on the order of centimetres I think.

        • Turun@feddit.de
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          2 years ago

          Yes. Wifi is 2.4 GHz, speed of light is 0.3 Gm/s. Therefore one wavelength is 0.3/2.4 m/s/Hz = 12.5 cm

          • crapwittyname@lemm.ee
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            2 years ago

            Or 0.001 football pitches

          • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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            2 years ago

            Yeah, you’re right. Writing it smaller than 12.5 cm should do it, which is entirely reasonable.

      • Wussy@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        What if I use an awesome font like Comic Sans and round the faces like party balloons? Still visible?

        • Hamartiogonic@sopuli.xyz
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          It’s all about the size. You can’t use an optical microscope to look at details smaller than the wavelength of visible light. You need an electron microscope for that. Similarly, a wifi camera can’t see details smaller that the wavelength.

          If you made a camera that can see in 100 MHz radio waves, you could probably see mountains, rivers and houses, but anything smaller than 3 m would be nothing but blur.

  • PeleSpirit@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    deleted by creator

    • TheMauveAvenger@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      If we’re seeing it now, the government has probably been using it for years.

      • dot20@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/through-wall-sensors-law-enforcement-market-survey

  • thesmokingman@programming.dev
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    2 years ago

    This is vaguely similar to Van Eck phreaking.

  • finthechat@kbin.social
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    2 years ago

    Lucius Fox hates this

  • planish
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    2 years ago

    “baby i can read letters through walls”

    the letters

  • Nioxic@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    This is super creepy

  • AlecSadler
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    2 years ago

    Are there ways to design a room or things to put in a room (or the walls?) that would inhibit this ability?

    I suppose lead shields or something…

    • Sotuanduso@lemm.ee
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      No need. If you skim the article, you’ll see it only works on sharp edges. The letters being read here are metal cutouts.

      • comfortablyglum
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        2 years ago

        Note to self: “decorate with crystal balls…” Got it!

      • Devjavu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 years ago

        Lemmy is so damn salty. All you did was explain what was said in the article and some guy disliked your comment lmao

        • Sotuanduso@lemm.ee
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          Yeah, but it was only one person. No big deal.

          • Devjavu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            2 years ago

            There he iiiiis

    • Deceptichum@kbin.social
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      2 years ago

      Faraday cage?

    • shininghero@kbin.social
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      2 years ago

      No need for lead. Just make something similar to those microwave door mesh plates and embed it in with the insulation.

    • fishos@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Well, if it’s using WiFi, then anything you do will also kill your WiFi signal. So, bare minimum, no WiFi router, only LAN lines.

  • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    Yeah sure why not.

  • Vampire [any]@hexbear.net
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    2 years ago

    https://i.imgflip.com/padwq.jpg

  • roguetrick@kbin.social
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    deleted by creator

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