How hackers can break into AI servers with an off-the-shelf antenna
Researchers have developed a technique called ModelSpy that allows hackers to capture electromagnetic signals from a running computer to reconstruct AI models. This method can be executed from a distance, even through walls, making it a significant threat to AI security. The research highlights a shift in hacking methods, moving from software-based attacks to hardware-based side-channel attacks.
- ▪ModelSpy can reconstruct AI model structures with up to 97.6 percent accuracy by capturing electromagnetic leakage from GPUs.
- ▪The technique allows attackers to steal AI designs without needing to breach a server or plant malware.
- ▪The research was conducted by a team led by Prof. Han Jun of KAIST and won the Distinguished Paper Award at NDSS 2026.
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A hacker in the hallway could steal an AI model through a concrete wall. Image: Shutterstock Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Email address Sign up Thank you! Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The word ‘hacker’ comes loaded with a cliched image: A hoodie-clad loner hunched over a keyboard in a room lined with monitors. The stereotype stuck for a reason. And for decades hacking really did come down to how well a hacker could operate a computer. That trend might change. The next generation of attacker may have more in common with a cat burglar than a code monkey. They slip physically close to a target instead of typing their way in. Some of the sharpest new attacks skip the login screen entirely.
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