Programmable Keyboards

[zolaric]

I was wondering if keyboards could be infected by viruses. For example, say I plug in a keyboard of mine into a computer that has many viruses, are there some that could infect the keyboard? As far as I know, keyboards don't store any data like computers, so viruses shouldn't be able to infect them.

However, I am not sure how programmable keyboards work (such as the Kinesis Advantage Contoured, where you can remap the keys around the keyboard) or other keyboards such as the SideWinder X4 that allow you to make macro keys. How do those keyboards store the information that tells them if the keys are remapped, and can those kinds of keyboards be infected?

Thanks.

[Taxmancometh]

I really don't think a programmable keyboard can be infected by a virus. The remapping hapens in the keyboard its self. The only worry about keyboards are the wireless ones which if your using the encryption function it's just simple XOR.

[ShyguyXPC]

the sidewinder keyboard stores that data on the PC.

Though it IS possible, but highly unlikely. Just as you can technically infect a PC's Bios chip, a keyboard could potentially be infected, especially if it has a firmware chip in it, but the likelihood is virtually impossible, unless you were say a KGB agent and being tracked by the CIA or something, with a keylogger installed on the keyboard (yeah, I know watching too much NCIS and similar shows, but still)

but most keyboards with their Macro setups, that data is stored on the PC usually, unless they have memory chips onboards storing key settings and what not, though Mice with built in memory chips for configurations, etc, could potentially be infected as well, but again highly unlikely.

the virus would have to target that device specifically, its like trying to make a virus for Linux in general, its damn hard to do, since there's so many different versions of it.