Smartwatches could potentially be used to steal data from or launch attacks on air-gapped systems - I wonder how far-fetched that really is

• Smartwatches may soon be the newest tool for breaching even the most secure computer
• Ultrasonic signals are invisible to us but may carry secrets out of air-gapped machines
• SmartAttack depends on rare conditions, but its possibility proves no system is ever completely safe

A new research paper proposes an unusual method of data exfiltration from air-gapped systems using smartwatches.

The concept, created by researchers from Ben-Gurion University, sounds like something out of a spy thriller, but the details reveal just how technically complex and narrowly feasible such an attack would be.

The method, dubbed “SmartAttack,” relies on exploiting the microphone of a compromised smartwatch to receive ultrasonic signals from an infected air-gapped computer.

The role of malware and wearable tech

These ultrasonic transmissions operate between 18 and 22 kHz, just above the range of human hearing, and can carry data such as keystrokes or biometric information at ...