A device that can be connected to smartphones is capable of stealing PIN numbers using thermal imaging, according to UK security firm Sec-Tec.
Thermal imaging devices are already available as iPhone accessories and cost less than £200.
Sec-Tec tested the thermal imaging accessory on several security devices that use PINs, such as ATMs, locks and safes, and reported that the process is very simple and reveals the digits pressed by the legitimate user for over a minute after use.
It thus appears that the use of devices with metal keyboards should be avoided for the time being, as such devices are vulnerable to these attacks.
What can prevent this particular attack is to rest your entire hand on the keyboard after using it to type the PIN, according to Sec-Tec.
A short video (11 seconds) uploaded by the UK security company to YouTube shows an attack using a thermal imaging system.
Watch the video
