Re: [CM] the USB killer now exists and is being mass-produced

From	Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address>
Newsgroups	comp.misc, comp.security.misc
Subject	Re: [CM] the USB killer now exists and is being mass-produced
Date	2016-12-04 14:40 +1100
Message-ID	<eahhicFq6n7U1@mid.individual.net> (permalink)
References	<o1usak$p4v$1@solani.org>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

Show all headers | View raw

On 4/12/2016 3:36 AM, RS Wood wrote:
>  From the «plug into your ass for bonus points» department:
> Title: The 'USB Killer' Has Been Mass Produced -- Available Online For About $50
> Author: help@slashdot.org
> Date: Fri, 02 Dec 2016 20:25:00 -0500
> Link: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/hAudAdRP9oo/the-usb-killer-has-been-mass-produced----available-online-for-about-50
>
> New submitter npslider writes: The "USB Killer," a USB stick that fries almost
> everything that it is plugged into, has been mass produced -- available online
> for about $50. Ars Technica first wrote about this diabolical device that looks
> like a fairly humdrum memory stick a year ago. From the report: "The USB Killer
> is shockingly simple in its operation. As soon as you plug it in, a DC-to-DC
> converter starts drawing power from the host system and storing electricity in
> its bank of capacitors (the square-shaped components). When the capacitors
> reach a potential of -220V, the device dumps all of that electricity into the
> USB data lines, most likely frying whatever is on the other end. If the host
> doesn't just roll over and die, the USB stick does the charge-discharge process
> again and again until it sizzles. Since the USB Killer has gone on sale, it has
> been used to fry laptops (including an old ThinkPad and a brand new MacBook
> Pro), an Xbox One, the new Google Pixel phone, and some cars (infotainment
> units, rather than whole cars... for now). Notably, some devices fare better
> than others, and there's a range of possible outcomes -- the USB Killer doesn't
> just nuke everything completely." You can watch a video of EverythingApplePro
> using the USB Killer to fry a variety of electronic devices. It looks like the
> only real defense from the USB Killer is physically capping your ports.

Or appropriately connect diodes to the data lines. If this device 
becomes widespread enough, manufacturers will start doing that on new 
hardware, particularly if people keep submitting warranty claims.

Sylvia.

Back to comp.security.misc | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar

Thread

[CM] the USB killer now exists and is being mass-produced RS Wood  <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2016-12-03 16:36 +0000
  Re: [CM] the USB killer now exists and is being mass-produced Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> - 2016-12-04 14:40 +1100
  Re: [CM] the USB killer now exists and is being mass-produced Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2016-12-07 18:56 +0000
  Re: [CM] the USB killer now exists and is being mass-produced Jim <Cheemag@hotmail.com> - 2017-01-10 17:52 +0000

csiph-web