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I always used to use a mechanical keyboard to type. Recently, I found a hardware trojan in my keyboard's firmware.

Can mechanical keyboard firmware be modified?

schroeder
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kittygirl
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    This is difficult to understand. I think there is a language issue. Are you asking if there are mechanical keyboards that do not have firmware? – schroeder Feb 15 '22 at 16:43
  • There are no keyboards that don’t use some active component (processor). And nearly all (definitely all modern ones) are programmable in some way. You would need a programmed in silicon keyboard to not have that (PROM-chips are no more). And those can’t use usb (since usb requires a modifiable part for the connection itself). The best way to know if you have genuine software In your keyboard. Is to use a version where you can externally check this…. Which do exist… but are usually build by hand. – LvB Feb 15 '22 at 21:41
  • How did you find that trojan? –  Feb 16 '22 at 01:42
  • @schroeder,yes.I don't need firmware,anything can be updated. – kittygirl Feb 16 '22 at 03:30
  • @MechMK1,when I update the firmware,system crashed.I send keyboard to manufacture, they told me the keyboard is hacked. – kittygirl Feb 16 '22 at 03:32
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    @kittygirl That doesn't really mean anything. Apple, for instance, likes to reply "water damage" to 90% of malfunctions, simply because customers can't prove it's not water damage. –  Feb 16 '22 at 11:26

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I don't think this question can be answered directly without going through a list of specific keyboards.

However, even keyboards that don't have an updatable firmware could have their hardware hacked or their controller replaced completely by someone with physical access. For example, the Model M PS/2 keyboard probably can't be updated directly, but here is a project to replace its controller with one that can be updated.

It is near impossible to be secure if your physical environment can't be secured.

user10489
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  • This answer is spot-on, +1. Even a [manual typewriter](https://patents.google.com/patent/US2252652A/en) (which is mechanical, and does not even use electronics, let alone firmware) could be hacked, if an attacker conceals a device in the typewriter that captures the keystrokes. – mti2935 Feb 15 '22 at 23:42
  • I don't think hacking the typewriter is even necessary. A microphone anywhere in the room is probably good enough. – user10489 Feb 16 '22 at 05:20