Is your computer mouse eavesdropping on you?

Researchers at the University of California have described a side-channel attack dubbed Mic-E-Mouse, which turns a computer mouse into a potential listening device. The method relies on high-performance optical sensors in optical mice, coupled with artificial intelligence, to filter out background noise and potentially reconstruct user speech with intelligible accuracy.

The sensors can be extremely sensitive, sometimes up to 20,000 dots per inch, and the researchers managed to test the approach using a $35 mouse, achieving about 61% accuracy. The attack does not require expensive gear and is framed as a classic side-channel technique—drawing secrets from physical clues emitted during normal computer use rather than by breaching software.

The researchers have notified 26 affected mouse manufacturers, who are now developing fixes to protect sensor data, and, in the meantime, mitigations include using a mouse mat, working in noisier environments, keeping firmware updated, and employing up-to-date real-time anti-malware with web protection. The article, published on 8 October 2025, notes that this risk is more pronounced in settings such as corporate or government environments.