MIT thinks they have a way to stop hackers, but can anything truly be unhackable? (Photo via Wiley Systems)
Whether you love them or hate them, smart devices are taking over. It feels like everything we own and do is connected to the internet: our phones, TVs, and even our cars. And while it can make our lives easier, it opens us up to new dangers, like hacking. All these devices can be hacked and have their data perched, overwritten, can jam signals, and cause havoc in general. Companies have been scratching their heads trying to figure out ways to block hackers. MIT believes they have the solution.
Researchers at MIT have invented a novel transmitter that moves data packets between various radio frequencies every microsecond, which is too fast for even the best hackers. This method, known as frequency hopping, sends every data packet over a random radio channel. Each packet houses thousands of individual bits. The problem is larger packets move at a slower pace making them susceptible to hacker interception. MIT’s transmitter takes another step and moves around individual bits at random every microsecond across 80 different channels. They also developed a new wireless protocol to support the quick frequency hopping.
To build the super-fast frequency hopping system, researchers replaced a crystal oscillator, which creates an electrical signal by vibrating, with an oscillator based on a BAW (bulk acoustic wave) resonator. Since BAW resonators only cover roughly four to five megahertz of frequency channels, they included components that split an input frequency into multiple frequencies. An added mixer component combines with divided frequencies with the BAW’s radio frequencies for new radio frequencies that can cover about 80 channels.
They also had to randomize how the data was sent. Normally, when a transmitter sends data on a channel, the channel will show a slight deviation in frequency. When each bit is sent, a receiver marks the channel’s 250-kilohertz or 250-kilohertz offset and decodes the corresponding bits. But hackers can still figure out the carrier frequency and have access to the information. To prevent this, MIT researchers used a system where a pair of separate channels across the 80-channel spectrum is generated each microsecond. Since the channel selection is random and quick, it eliminated the frequency offset and blocks hackers from deciphering what bit is going to which channel.
Because more and more devices are being connected to the internet, it’s more important than ever to increase security. The team believes their new transmitter could even protect medical devices, like pace makers and insulin pumps from attacks. It could also improve security on smart meters that read home utilities or monitor the grid. Should the transmitter work, it’ll be a major step in combating hackers. But everything can still be hacked. Hackers will find a way around the system and get what they want anyway. So the real question is can hackers ever be stopped? We may not know, but we can at least continue to fight back against attacks.
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