How secure is Apple's Bluetooth keyboard?

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Can anybody post any documentation on how Mac OS X and Apple's Bluetooth keyboard pair up with each other?

I have seen the articles Apple keyboard pairing over Bluetooth and https://superuser.com/questions/15788/which-wireless-keyboard-is-most-secure but they do not contain any specific details on this, except other users saying "I think" or "It is like this, because I say so".

Should I buy a keyboard with a cable, or are the nifty Bluetooth keyboards secure "enough" these days?

Again, please include sources when you post.

Preben

Posted 2011-10-02T19:13:56.117

Reputation: 161

The NIST guide has been updated (the link above is now dead). Latest version of Guide to Bluetooth Security (2017).

– Per Mildner – 2018-08-23T07:11:18.007

Further reading material: Guide to Bluetooth Security – Recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (2008)

– slhck – 2011-10-02T19:29:33.750

Well, a keyboard with a cable would be safe against almost ALL electromagnetic radiation detecting, although if your neighbors have very sensitive TEMPEST equipment, they're likely reading your private stuff from the emanations of your monitor anyways. Bluetooth is as secure as Bluetooth is. To reduce the ability of anyone to listen to your equipment (be it, cell phone, computer, TV, Bluetooth or wireless), I'd seriously recommend you line your house with fine mesh chicken wire, possibly covering that over with aluminum foil. see Faraday Cage

– lornix – 2011-10-03T06:40:13.563

1@lornix Please don't recommend what you haven't experienced, I live in such place that nothing(including cell and wi-fi signals) can't pass through walls, and It's quite hard to live in. Not worth the privacy. – behrooz – 2013-11-23T14:23:49.337

Answers

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The simple answer is "it's secure enough." The Apple Wireless Keyboard uses bluetooth, which since 2007 has been quite secure.

The pairing process protects you in a number of ways, as outlined on wikipedia. While wireless connections are always subject to sniffing, bluetooth uses public-key cryptography to securely exchange the keys used to encrypt everything else between the keyboard and your computer. Also, your computer will make you enter a code on the keyboard during pairing—this is done to protect against a man-in-the-middle attack.

The Wikipedia article on Bluetooth has an almost obscene amount of relevant information.

Basically: get the wired keyboard if you want a numpad. Get the wireless one otherwise. Only your computer will be able to see your keystrokes.

rjb1290

Posted 2011-10-02T19:13:56.117

Reputation: 81

16There is one caveat I have experienced. Here's how the scenario plays out: I lock my computer and leave. Coworker borrows the keyboard and pairs it with their machine. Coworker finishes using it and returns it to my desk. I return, click the password field to log back in. I type my password really fast. It appears on coworkers screen. The coworker forgot to unpair it. Lesson learned: Check and make sure its paired with your machine before typing sensitive info! – y3sh – 2014-08-22T19:50:15.370

Asked: 2011-10-02T19:13:56.117

Viewed: 14 714 times

Active: 2016-07-20T15:07:09.663