My Business Card Runs Linux • Hacker News Board

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#141

Post by prox » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 3:52 PM UTC

Shorel wrote: post #135

Abishek_Muthian wrote: post #70

This is cool as it showcases his embedded engineering prowess. Years of startup meets[1] have left a bad taste in mouth for the business cards. I've seen people exchange business cards ceremoniously, only to give a missed call to each other immediately. Business cards are a waste of money, paper and I don't want to get started on the plastics. I honestly thought that proliferation of NFC in smartphones would help to…

What I don't know is why all phones don't have a QR/barcode reader application preinstalled. A QR code is the best of both worlds.

iOS has this standard, default camera app

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#142

Post by spilk » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 3:54 PM UTC

dxxvi wrote: post #137

Maybe in the next 10 years there will be a business card running a JVM.

you probably have cards in your wallet right now that run (a decidedly stripped down) version of Java.

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#143

Post by prox » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 3:55 PM UTC

exikyut wrote: post #48

My eyebrows went up when I saw the processor was so cheap, but then I went and found a datasheet for it and... $1.42 buys - ARM926EJS core at 900MHz consuming 54mA when on and idle - 32MB DDR RAM - 720p H264 @ 30fps hardware decode - Audio DAC capable of 192kHz over I2S - USB OTG (not full host) - LCD RGB (FPC) interface at either 1024x600 or 1280x720 @ 60fps - Touchpanel I/O Sources: https://www.cnx-software.com/201…

Wait this thing can run 720p video? Amazing

How cool would a mini lcd be with your contact details

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#144

Post by IgorPartola » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 3:59 PM UTC

nilsb wrote: post #3

While it's a fascinating project I'd have some security concerns about plugging someone's USB business card into my computer.

It would be pretty sweet if it was Bluetooth instead. A Bluetooth serial console would be pretty kickass.

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#145

Post by jacquesm » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 4:00 PM UTC

blotter_paper wrote: post #133

jacquesm wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say that's a business opportunity lost.

It would be funny to have the business card list known exploits on their system -- whether this would taken lightly by the hiring manager is another question.

Pentest-by-business-card-as-a-service. Awkward acronym, probably not going to be a commercial success.

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#146

Post by asymptotically2 » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 4:03 PM UTC

dxxvi wrote: post #137

Maybe in the next 10 years there will be a business card running a JVM.

Your SIM cards, credit/debit cards, GPG smartcard, Bitcoin hardware wallets, etc. already do (probably) run Java :)

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#147

Post by dillonmckay » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 4:09 PM UTC

I want to see the USB-C equivalent of this.

:(

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#148

Post by ViViDboarder » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 4:11 PM UTC

mikece wrote: post #64

Maybe I'm twisted but my first thought if that if I were a pen tester I would want business cards exactly like this. And yes, they would run Linux... and some other things. :-)

Or on a pen instead of a card!

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#149

Post by Thriptic » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 4:14 PM UTC

smitty1e wrote: post #16

jaclaz wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it is appropriate as a business card for an embedded systems engineers, not so much for a system security one! More seriously, I never managed to understand the "obsession" with ROHS (this here is just an example): >I made sure to have a lead-free process—the boards, parts, and solder paste are all RoHS—so that I wouldn't feel bad about giving them to people. I mean, you are creating something that (besides bei…

Were I a system security engineer, I should think I'd have a sanitized way to plug in a USB device. How else would one do forensics?

In fact, a USB condom would be a nice variant of this project for a security engineer's business card, although the female USB portion might be a bit bulky for practical use.

Re: My Business Card Runs Linux

#150

Post by blotter_paper » Tue, Dec 24, 2019, 4:18 PM UTC

jbverschoor wrote: post #22

nilsb wrote: post #3

While it's a fascinating project I'd have some security concerns about plugging someone's USB business card into my computer.

Is that really the responsibility of the person making the card? This is the responsibility of the creators of the USB hardware, firmware, motherboard firmware, electrical design, OS developers / driver developers. It should be safe to plug in a USB device by default

The whole beauty of USB ports is that we have one unified interface for practically everything. It can't be safe without giving that up, adding some friction to user interaction, or doing some dark art involving centrally signed devices that we expect won't be broken. If anybody can produce storage and input devices that plug into a universal port and just work, malicious input devices can be made to physically look like storage devices in the eyes of the user. I'm not saying we shouldn't make more security conscious tradeoffs, I'm just saying that there are tradeoffs to be made, and most users probably won't appreciate the added friction.