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Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

zdnet.com

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Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#101

Post by tluyben2 »

bdowling wrote: post #97
Hydraulix989 wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Deterrence. To some, the damages are pocket change.

I’ll add that deterrence breaks down into two different prongs: (1) deterring this particular guy from doing the same thing again and (2) deterring others from copying what this guy did. It might seem unfair to punish this guy harshly when a lesser punishment would deter him from ever trying the same thing again, but that is ignoring prong (2), the value of punishing him as a warning to others.

The deterrence is probably mostly for the group in (2) but because that group already knows what the punishment is because of the deterrence in said region, but find themselves (by whatever peer pressure, stupidity, drugs&alcohol) find themselves in this position, they may find the deterrent a guideline to add on more crimes because it does not matter. In this case, if he knew about the punishment, he probably would have fled the country the next day. Making a crime go unpunished; if he just is flagged and cannot leave the country and has to pay 100k in fines, he might be a good citizen and pay taxes in the US the rest of his life. I cannot see these harsh punishments work well (and seems they do not as people keep doing crime more than elsewhere) but it is probably needed to get elected (soft on crime!!!).

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#102

Post by bukka »

sdfsdfsdfsdf3 wrote: post #93

Most decent (read: non-american) long haul airlines and even some 737 have USB sockets at each seat for charging devices, what effect would this have in the air?

All Inflight Entertainment Systems are completely isolated. You'll fry your own screen, enjoy the rest of your flight.

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#104

Post by ascorbic »

everyone wrote: post #64

Someone brought this up in an older thread about this device.. Why use this? You could just use a hammer, or pour water into them. It seems bizarre that he paid money for this device when there are many completely free ways to trash a pc.

I assume someone would notice if he started smashing up computers with a hammer. No way he'd be able to destroy as many.

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#105

Post by sdfsdfsdfsdf3 »

bukka wrote: post #102
sdfsdfsdfsdf3 wrote: post #93

Most decent (read: non-american) long haul airlines and even some 737 have USB sockets at each seat for charging devices, what effect would this have in the air?

All Inflight Entertainment Systems are completely isolated. You'll fry your own screen, enjoy the rest of your flight.

Woudln't that be a fire harzard?

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#106

Post by vonseel »

everyone wrote: post #64

Someone brought this up in an older thread about this device.. Why use this? You could just use a hammer, or pour water into them. It seems bizarre that he paid money for this device when there are many completely free ways to trash a pc.

I imagine it’s much easier psychologically for a vandal to do this than anything obvious with a hammer or water. Also, you would think he’d probably get caught after the first or second monitor if he walked into a library and started smashing shit.

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#107

Post by malignantCancer »

tluyben2 wrote: post #90
Hydraulix989 wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Deterrence. To some, the damages are pocket change.

When we (Dutch) ask in school why our sentences are so low, it is explained that if the punishment does not fit the crime, you will be incentivized to add more crime because you are already facing prison time, so why would you care about a few years more or less. Aka if the crime for rape is almost the same as murder you might as well kill the victim to have less chance of being caught. We have not a lot of crime and…

[flagged]

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#108

Post by gsich »

wiseleo wrote: post #96
Shaanie wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

USB killer would not be an appropriate way to do that, it'd just give a false sense of security.

I wouldn't be so sure. Frying an SSD efficiently is a good use.

But this is USB.

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#109

Post by bukka »

sdfsdfsdfsdf3 wrote: post #105
bukka wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All Inflight Entertainment Systems are completely isolated. You'll fry your own screen, enjoy the rest of your flight.

Woudln't that be a fire harzard?

Maybe "fry" was the wrong word to use here. The USB device mentioned in the article doesn't work after it kills the device so the components actually don't get too hot after the initial surge.

Also any battery on your device is also a potential fire hazard. There are procedures in place to deal with such cases.

Re: Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

#110

Post by krisoft »

wiseleo wrote: post #96
Shaanie wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

USB killer would not be an appropriate way to do that, it'd just give a false sense of security.

I wouldn't be so sure. Frying an SSD efficiently is a good use.

Yes, efficiently frying an SSD can be a goal. No, this device does not do that.

"I wouldn't be so sure." is not the right test to pick. Yes it might destroy the SSD, but more likely just burns out something on the motherboard.

When you are picking an emergency destruction method your test should be: "I'm reasonably certain that this irreparably destroys the data"

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