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A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

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Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#71

Post by coupdejarnac »

bottom999mottob wrote: post #69
bagels wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Too many plastic enclosures are assemble-only, requiring destruction to disassemble.

The free market did a terrible job incentivizing disassembly... Can't count how many no-screw assemblies have triggered me. The right-to-repair situation is a joke right now with automotive, consumer electronics, and appliances.

Assemblies with a lot of screws require manual labor, thereby increasing cost. I think what you actually mean is stuff that is specifically designed not to be serviced by being held together with glue, etc.

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#72

Post by oasisaimlessly »

lazide wrote: post #58
GordonS wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly the kind of thing I was looking for! Although, I guess for a bug hidden within an electrical device (like that in the article), this approach wouldn't work? I wonder how well these work against shielding? Might it be possible to build your own device like this?

It would ‘work’ - but not be useful, because you’d already expect a circuit in that location.

No; USB2 cables are passive and shouldn't have any circuitry.

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#73

Post by lazide »

oasisaimlessly wrote: post #72
lazide wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It would ‘work’ - but not be useful, because you’d already expect a circuit in that location.

No; USB2 cables are passive and shouldn't have any circuitry.

On the keyboard and the USB controller on the host (right next to the port) however…

So unless they’re dumb enough to put it literally in the middle of the cable? My point stands. These tools don’t typically have the resolution to tell.

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#74

Post by FuriouslyAdrift »

airbreather wrote: post #20

An even easier one would be a modified keyboard. Anyone could fit an esp32 into a keyboard, swap it out, leave it lying around, sniff keystrokes, access with Bluetooth or WiFi, could have it only have the radio on for certain windows in time etc.

I mean... http://airdrivewifi.com/

https://shop.hak5.org/products/key-croc

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#75

Post by dako2117 »

airbreather wrote: post #20

An even easier one would be a modified keyboard. Anyone could fit an esp32 into a keyboard, swap it out, leave it lying around, sniff keystrokes, access with Bluetooth or WiFi, could have it only have the radio on for certain windows in time etc.

Isn't it way easier to get a target to use a usb device than a keyboard

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#76

Post by lostemptations5 »

jcims wrote: post #46
throwawayqqq11 wrote: post #45

Would it be possible to shield the host device while frying the GSM antenna with selected frequenzies? Kind of preemptive sanitization of new hardware.

Lots of cables have chips in them these days.

But not specific ones

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#78

Post by jandrese »

gwbas1c wrote: post #63
no_time wrote: post #4

Using SMS as the control protocol seems like a bad idea. You are generating evidence with each command sent that may or may not be stored practically forever by the telcos.

That's assuming you're using it for spying. A completely honest use of this is to track your car, (or other device with a USB port) in case of theft. If I had one of the Kias or Hyundais that were easy to steal, I'd totally slip one of these into the car.

The caveat being that these things are only doing cell tower triangulation, and not even a good job of it. So all it will be able to tell you is that your car is somewhere on the east side of the city or so. Although you will be able to listen in on the conversations of the car thieves and might pick up a clue from that.

Realistically, these are 100% for stalking/espionage.

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#79

Post by throwaway11460 »

jandrese wrote: post #78
gwbas1c wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's assuming you're using it for spying. A completely honest use of this is to track your car, (or other device with a USB port) in case of theft. If I had one of the Kias or Hyundais that were easy to steal, I'd totally slip one of these into the car.

The caveat being that these things are only doing cell tower triangulation, and not even a good job of it. So all it will be able to tell you is that your car is somewhere on the east side of the city or so. Although you will be able to listen in on the conversations of the car thieves and might pick up a clue from that. Realistically, these are 100% for stalking/espionage.

I took the exact opposite conclusion from this information. How is it useful for stalking if it doesn't give more exact location? On the other hand if I'm looking for my own car that somebody took out of the city, this at least gives me a general idea of its location.

Re: A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)

#80

Post by bdavbdav »

eythian wrote: post #24
netsharc wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't imagine the UK doesn't have laws to prevent anonymous SIM card purchases, because of terrorism fears. Some duckduckgo-ing suggests it's possible, e.g. someone wrote just go to Tesco to get one and there are no ID checks (but this was written 6 years ago). In any case, just like teenagers buying booze, it's probably not that hard to pay someone off the street to buy one for you.

It's very country dependent. In NL, NZ, and UK (as of several years ago when I last did that) for example, no ID checks are required. In AU they are.

Yep. When I tried to get a SIM in India, it was a nightmare as a non-national. I had to get a local colleague to get one.
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