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Vista voice control

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  • B Bradml

    Is this not the perfect example of a Re-Post


    Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

    C Offline
    C Offline
    Chris Buckett
    wrote on last edited by
    #3

    Oh big pants. Where?!

    ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

    1 Reply Last reply
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    • B Bradml

      Is this not the perfect example of a Re-Post


      Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

      C Offline
      C Offline
      Chris Buckett
      wrote on last edited by
      #4

      Right, I see. That'll teach me to read everything thorougly first! I'm ready for those 1's. :laugh::laugh:

      ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

      1 Reply Last reply
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      • B Bradml

        Is this not the perfect example of a Re-Post


        Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

        R Offline
        R Offline
        Rama Krishna Vavilala
        wrote on last edited by
        #5

        Bradml wrote:

        Is this not the perfect example of a Re-Post

        Yes it is. I have never seen reposts such close together. I mean there is not even a gap of one post in between.:omg:

        B 1 Reply Last reply
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        • R Rama Krishna Vavilala

          Bradml wrote:

          Is this not the perfect example of a Re-Post

          Yes it is. I have never seen reposts such close together. I mean there is not even a gap of one post in between.:omg:

          B Offline
          B Offline
          Bradml
          wrote on last edited by
          #6

          there was not even enough time for negus to get in and complain about something


          Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • C Chris Buckett

            I thought this[^] was interesting. It essentially says that if you have enabled voice control, then sound coming out of the speakers and being picked up by the mic could control the pc (uac permitting). Imagine a "virus" being distributed as a podcast! "Hello, welcome to my podcast. Format C:, Yes I'm sure" :)

            ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

            D Offline
            D Offline
            David Wulff
            wrote on last edited by
            #7

            Nice example, that is worth a five repost or not. :-D Surely if you have a keyboard attached to your PC then you have exactly the same level of risk?


            Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
            Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
            I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

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            • D David Wulff

              Nice example, that is worth a five repost or not. :-D Surely if you have a keyboard attached to your PC then you have exactly the same level of risk?


              Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
              Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
              I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

              C Offline
              C Offline
              Chris Buckett
              wrote on last edited by
              #8

              David Wulff wrote:

              Surely if you have a keyboard attached to your PC then you have exactly the same level of risk?

              Surely only if you're onsite. The example given in the link is having someone at the other end of a webcam. You wander off to find something, and come back to find that they've been using their voice to control your pc. (Launch remote support or similar maybe? - perhaps I'm getting carried away) I'm beginning to imagine "youths" (yoofs) running into internet cafe's and shouting "Shutdown" as a modern day prank.:-D

              ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

              D 1 Reply Last reply
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              • C Chris Buckett

                I thought this[^] was interesting. It essentially says that if you have enabled voice control, then sound coming out of the speakers and being picked up by the mic could control the pc (uac permitting). Imagine a "virus" being distributed as a podcast! "Hello, welcome to my podcast. Format C:, Yes I'm sure" :)

                ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                P Offline
                P Offline
                Paul Watson
                wrote on last edited by
                #9

                Have to say I prefer your repost. I would never have read Brad's link as security generally doesn't interest me and his post had no info that would make me follow the link.

                regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa

                Shog9 wrote:

                I don't see it happening, at least not until it becomes pointless.

                B 1 Reply Last reply
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                • C Chris Buckett

                  David Wulff wrote:

                  Surely if you have a keyboard attached to your PC then you have exactly the same level of risk?

                  Surely only if you're onsite. The example given in the link is having someone at the other end of a webcam. You wander off to find something, and come back to find that they've been using their voice to control your pc. (Launch remote support or similar maybe? - perhaps I'm getting carried away) I'm beginning to imagine "youths" (yoofs) running into internet cafe's and shouting "Shutdown" as a modern day prank.:-D

                  ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                  D Offline
                  D Offline
                  David Wulff
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #10

                  In order to present a problem, you will need to: a) disable all of Windows' inbuilt security features, i.e. UAC, and b) configure the system for voice recognition and train it for your attackers voice. I don't see that as any different from having someone physically at your PC from a risk position -- people have to take responsibility for their own actions, you can't blame everything on someone else.


                  Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
                  Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                  I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                  C R A 3 Replies Last reply
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                  • D David Wulff

                    In order to present a problem, you will need to: a) disable all of Windows' inbuilt security features, i.e. UAC, and b) configure the system for voice recognition and train it for your attackers voice. I don't see that as any different from having someone physically at your PC from a risk position -- people have to take responsibility for their own actions, you can't blame everything on someone else.


                    Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
                    Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                    I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                    C Offline
                    C Offline
                    Chris Buckett
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #11

                    David Wulff wrote:

                    people have to take responsibility for their own actions, you can't blame everything on someone else.

                    I quite agree, but I can imagine my dad (for example, or any other non techie) turning on voice control (because he's used to telling his secretary what to do, and the computer is just a version of that:) ), and being left vulnerable to this flaw without realising. You can only take responsibility for your actions if you are aware of the consequences. If there was a suitable warning when turning it on, then fair enough.

                    David Wulff wrote:

                    b) configure the system for voice recognition and train it for your attackers voice.

                    How long is it going to be before someone figures out the right generic vocal tones (rather than actual voice commands) to perform actions on a pc. Now that you can have sound auto playing when you visit a web page, there's all sorts of dodgy stuff you could do. As an aside, I'm now imagining the fun you could have with a colleages computer. 5 mins access to their computer and you could train it to shutdown everytime you ask them if they want a coffee. :)

                    ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                    D 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • P Paul Watson

                      Have to say I prefer your repost. I would never have read Brad's link as security generally doesn't interest me and his post had no info that would make me follow the link.

                      regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa

                      Shog9 wrote:

                      I don't see it happening, at least not until it becomes pointless.

                      B Offline
                      B Offline
                      Bradml
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #12

                      Well fine then, have you opinion.


                      Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

                      P 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • B Bradml

                        Well fine then, have you opinion.


                        Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

                        P Offline
                        P Offline
                        Paul Watson
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #13

                        I'm just picking on you. ;)

                        regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa

                        Shog9 wrote:

                        I don't see it happening, at least not until it becomes pointless.

                        B 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • P Paul Watson

                          I'm just picking on you. ;)

                          regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa

                          Shog9 wrote:

                          I don't see it happening, at least not until it becomes pointless.

                          B Offline
                          B Offline
                          Bradml
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #14

                          Somehow I may just recover


                          Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

                          P 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • B Bradml

                            Somehow I may just recover


                            Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

                            P Offline
                            P Offline
                            Paul Watson
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #15

                            Sure you will, you're an Aussie, I could throw anything at you and you'd recover. Part of being an Aussie I reckon.

                            regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa

                            Shog9 wrote:

                            I don't see it happening, at least not until it becomes pointless.

                            B 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • P Paul Watson

                              Sure you will, you're an Aussie, I could throw anything at you and you'd recover. Part of being an Aussie I reckon.

                              regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa

                              Shog9 wrote:

                              I don't see it happening, at least not until it becomes pointless.

                              B Offline
                              B Offline
                              Bradml
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #16

                              It's the South African in me. You could shoot me in the foot and I would just give you a funny look and walk home.


                              Brad Australian - Christian Graus on "Best books for VBscript" A big thick one, so you can whack yourself on the head with it.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • C Chris Buckett

                                David Wulff wrote:

                                people have to take responsibility for their own actions, you can't blame everything on someone else.

                                I quite agree, but I can imagine my dad (for example, or any other non techie) turning on voice control (because he's used to telling his secretary what to do, and the computer is just a version of that:) ), and being left vulnerable to this flaw without realising. You can only take responsibility for your actions if you are aware of the consequences. If there was a suitable warning when turning it on, then fair enough.

                                David Wulff wrote:

                                b) configure the system for voice recognition and train it for your attackers voice.

                                How long is it going to be before someone figures out the right generic vocal tones (rather than actual voice commands) to perform actions on a pc. Now that you can have sound auto playing when you visit a web page, there's all sorts of dodgy stuff you could do. As an aside, I'm now imagining the fun you could have with a colleages computer. 5 mins access to their computer and you could train it to shutdown everytime you ask them if they want a coffee. :)

                                ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                                D Offline
                                D Offline
                                David Wulff
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #17

                                Just nitpicking here, but there is no 'Shutdown' command. I just tried it on my machine to see what the fuss is about and I can't get it to shutdown from the menu either. The closest I've got is 'start, click run, delete that, shutdown space forward-slash s, enter'. You can do it with the mousegrid too, but only if the start button is in the lower left corner. This is fun.


                                Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
                                Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                                I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                                C A 2 Replies Last reply
                                0
                                • D David Wulff

                                  Just nitpicking here, but there is no 'Shutdown' command. I just tried it on my machine to see what the fuss is about and I can't get it to shutdown from the menu either. The closest I've got is 'start, click run, delete that, shutdown space forward-slash s, enter'. You can do it with the mousegrid too, but only if the start button is in the lower left corner. This is fun.


                                  Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
                                  Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                                  I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                                  C Offline
                                  C Offline
                                  Chris Buckett
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #18

                                  David Wulff wrote:

                                  there is no 'Shutdown' command.

                                  Can't you stick that in a batch file and associate it with a voice command? (part of the 5 mins with the colleagues computer). I've just pulled the hard drives out of my vista box, so I can't experiment at the moment. I was more hypothesising than basing my ideas on fact.

                                  David Wulff wrote:

                                  This is fun.

                                  :-D

                                  ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                                  D J 2 Replies Last reply
                                  0
                                  • C Chris Buckett

                                    David Wulff wrote:

                                    there is no 'Shutdown' command.

                                    Can't you stick that in a batch file and associate it with a voice command? (part of the 5 mins with the colleagues computer). I've just pulled the hard drives out of my vista box, so I can't experiment at the moment. I was more hypothesising than basing my ideas on fact.

                                    David Wulff wrote:

                                    This is fun.

                                    :-D

                                    ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                                    D Offline
                                    D Offline
                                    David Wulff
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #19

                                    You can use a number grid too. -- modified at 8:55 Thursday 1st February, 2007 Only the number for the shutdown popup is not fixed, it varies depending on how many items are on your start menu list.


                                    Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
                                    Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                                    I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • C Chris Buckett

                                      I thought this[^] was interesting. It essentially says that if you have enabled voice control, then sound coming out of the speakers and being picked up by the mic could control the pc (uac permitting). Imagine a "virus" being distributed as a podcast! "Hello, welcome to my podcast. Format C:, Yes I'm sure" :)

                                      ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                                      E Offline
                                      E Offline
                                      Ed Preston
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #20

                                      Hi Chris, Its easy to see your interest in the idea and I had fun thinking about it too. :) I do have a problem with that article; it was sensationalist garbage. It's good to see everyone here (and many who posted in response) know how to take it. Why not take it a step further? I'm going to write up an article suggesting to remove the phones next to peoples' desks. Someone might call and give them bad instructions. We can call it the "command recognition audio proxy speech vulnerability" or just the CRAPS vulnerability. :-D Ed

                                      C 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • D David Wulff

                                        In order to present a problem, you will need to: a) disable all of Windows' inbuilt security features, i.e. UAC, and b) configure the system for voice recognition and train it for your attackers voice. I don't see that as any different from having someone physically at your PC from a risk position -- people have to take responsibility for their own actions, you can't blame everything on someone else.


                                        Ðavid Wulff What kind of music should programmers listen to?
                                        Join the Code Project Last.fm group | dwulff
                                        I'm so gangsta I eat cereal without the milk

                                        R Offline
                                        R Offline
                                        Rich Leyshon
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #21

                                        David Wulff wrote:

                                        b) configure the system for voice recognition and train it for your attackers voice.

                                        Do you really still have to do this on Vista? My telephone has voice dialling/commands with no training - you just set your chosen language and speak any name in the address book! And it works very well - as well as the old version where you had to store a sample of you speaking any name you wanted voice reognition for. Rich

                                        D 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • C Chris Buckett

                                          I thought this[^] was interesting. It essentially says that if you have enabled voice control, then sound coming out of the speakers and being picked up by the mic could control the pc (uac permitting). Imagine a "virus" being distributed as a podcast! "Hello, welcome to my podcast. Format C:, Yes I'm sure" :)

                                          ChrisB ChrisDoesDev[^]

                                          A Offline
                                          A Offline
                                          Antony Clements
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #22

                                          :laugh:

                                          Chris Buckett wrote:

                                          Hello, welcome to my podcast. Format C:,

                                          Did you forget that drives that are in use can not be formatted?

                                          Life is nothing but an individuals perception of an immortals dream. - ME

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