Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register

Groups > linux.debian.user > #286655

USB devices and security (was: how to transfer files to/from iPhone?)

Show all headers | View raw

> Charge-only cables are also in demand as a security measure for people
> wishing to safely charge devices on random¹ USB ports found out in
> the world.

Indeed.  I wish my USB cables came with a little switch to control
whether to connect the data wires or not (would beat the hell out of
trying to remember which cables are power-only and which aren't).

> In an ideal world you plug your device into a USB port and if whatever
> it is connected to wants to do anything other than negotiate charging
> then positive action has to be taken by you. But, software has bugs and
> some people want a second level of defence.

Not just bugs: I don't know of any OS out there that is even designed to
behave like you describe: they all automatically accept to recognize the
other end as whichever device (or set of devices) it claims to be.

> In the other direction, infiltration has been done by leaving USB sticks
> on the floor of the car park and hoping some employee plugs one in to
> see what's on it. Some workplaces physically disable USB ports on their
> computers because of things like that.

Indeed.  It may look like a harmless USB key, but it may decide to tell
your machine that it's a keyboard+mouse+wificard and start sending made
up keyboard/mouse events and whatnot.

To bring this discussion back to Debian: does someone here know of a way
to configure Debian so it asks for explicit confirmation before
accepting new USB devices?


=== Stefan

Back to linux.debian.user | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar

Thread

Re: how to transfer files to/from iPhone? "mick.crane" <mick.crane@gmail.com> - 2026-05-14 02:10 +0200
  Re: how to transfer files to/from iPhone? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2026-05-14 23:00 +0200
    Re: how to transfer files to/from iPhone? John Hasler <john@sugarbit.com> - 2026-05-14 23:50 +0200
      Re: how to transfer files to/from iPhone? Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> - 2026-05-15 03:10 +0200
        Re: how to transfer files to/from iPhone? Andy Smith <andy@strugglers.net> - 2026-05-15 04:20 +0200
          USB devices and security (was: how to transfer files to/from iPhone?) Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2026-05-15 05:20 +0200
            Re: USB devices and security Henrik Ahlgren <pablo@seestieto.com> - 2026-05-15 06:40 +0200
            Re: USB devices and security (was: how to transfer files to/from  iPhone?) Brian Sammon <debian-users-list@brisammon.fastmail.fm> - 2026-05-15 07:40 +0200
              Re: USB devices and security nwe <nwe@gitcoding.net> - 2026-05-15 15:50 +0200
            Re: USB devices and security (was: how to transfer files to/from  iPhone?) <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2026-05-15 08:50 +0200
              Re: USB devices and security Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2026-05-15 18:40 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2026-05-15 20:00 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security -- and rubber ducks! <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2026-05-15 22:00 +0200
            Re: USB devices and security (was: how to transfer files to/from iPhone?) rhkramer@gmail.com - 2026-05-15 15:30 +0200
              Re: USB devices and security (was: how to transfer files to/from  iPhone?) Norwid Behrnd <nbehrnd@yahoo.com> - 2026-05-15 16:00 +0200
            Re: USB devices and security Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2026-05-15 18:40 +0200
              Re: USB devices and security Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2026-05-15 21:00 +0200
              Re: USB devices and security <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2026-05-15 22:00 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security debian-user@howorth.org.uk - 2026-05-15 23:20 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security Henrik Ahlgren <pablo@seestieto.com> - 2026-05-16 09:00 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security CGS <etphonehomefrance@gmail.com> - 2026-05-16 18:10 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2026-05-16 18:40 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security CGS <etphonehomefrance@gmail.com> - 2026-05-16 18:50 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security Henrik Ahlgren <pablo@seestieto.com> - 2026-05-16 19:20 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2026-05-17 09:50 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2026-05-17 17:00 +0200
                Re: USB devices and security Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> - 2026-05-17 17:50 +0200
            Re: USB devices and security Max Nikulin <manikulin@gmail.com> - 2026-05-16 07:00 +0200
          Re: how to transfer files to/from iPhone? CGS <etphonehomefrance@gmail.com> - 2026-05-15 16:30 +0200
    Re: how to transfer files to/from iPhone? <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2026-05-15 08:40 +0200

csiph-web