Scientists have identified a vulnerability in virtual reality (VR) headsets that could let hackers access private information without the wearers’ knowledge.
A hacker can insert a new “layer” between the user and the device’s normal image source. Hackers can then deploy a fake app in the VR headset that might trick the wearer into behaving in specific ways or giving up their data. This is known as an “Inception layer,” referring to Chris Nolan’s 2010 sci-fi thriller in which espionage agents infiltrate a target’s mind and implant an idea the target assumes is their own.
The VR “Inception attack” was detailed in a paper uploaded March 8 to the preprint server arXiv, and the team successfully tested it on all versions of the Meta Quest headset.
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