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They make USB-C cables with displays now

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Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#101

Post by im3w1l »

i_have_to_speak wrote: post #14

> The paranoid side of me suspects that a cable like this one would be an ideal place to hide a malicious chip. Why hide a malicious chip in a cable with display -- why not in one without a display? Wouldn't that be more, uh, malicious?

Complexity usually makes it easier to hide stuff. Especially if the thing you want to hide and the thing you want to hide it in are highly similar.

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#103

Post by zygentoma »

jajko wrote: post #83
dnpp123 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same here. Those killed a couple of my (expensive) devices. Strongly advise against it.

Chargers, cables, batteries - you literally get what you pay for. In this category, the ultimate risk is nothing less than burning down whole house. I ain't rich enough for that cheap crapware. Anker it is for me.

Isn't Anker the definition of cheap crapware (sold under a brand name)?

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#105

Post by bzzzt »

zygentoma wrote: post #103
jajko wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chargers, cables, batteries - you literally get what you pay for. In this category, the ultimate risk is nothing less than burning down whole house. I ain't rich enough for that cheap crapware. Anker it is for me.

Isn't Anker the definition of cheap crapware (sold under a brand name)?

They are not that cheap, and most stuff I've seen from them works as advertised.

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#107

Post by skywhopper »

In terms of the risk of a “malicious chip”, that has nothing to do with the display or USB-C. Any cable could have a malicious chip in it at this point. USB-C cables require some chips to function so even if you take it apart you won’t know for sure what its little chips are doing. Good luck out there!

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#108

Post by nopcode »

quotemstr wrote: post #40
transpute wrote: post #11

For comparison, a "something else" cable without display: https://shop.hak5.org/products/omg-cable > The O.MG Cable is a hand made USB cable with an advanced implant hidden inside. It is designed to allow your Red Team to emulate attack scenarios of sophisticated adversaries. Until now, a cable like this would cost $20,000 (ex: COTTONMOUTH-I). These cables will allow you to test new detection opportunities for your d…

> Due to the advanced capabilities of the O.MG Cable, regulations require that they are shipped "deactivated" Which "regulations" might those be?

You'd need a license to export to most countries and show that you have controls in place that they are not sent to countries/companies/people on a blacklist/watchlist.

This is true for anything cybersecurity related and more strict for "intrusion" tooling.

Not sure about domestic sales though...

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#109

Post by jajko »

zygentoma wrote: post #103
jajko wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chargers, cables, batteries - you literally get what you pay for. In this category, the ultimate risk is nothing less than burning down whole house. I ain't rich enough for that cheap crapware. Anker it is for me.

Isn't Anker the definition of cheap crapware (sold under a brand name)?

This is news to me and doesn't confirm my own experience. Ie their pretty basic 65W wall charger is much better than 65W usb-c chargers from both HP and Dell they give to their laptops - much smaller and doesn't heat up at all with full day work from it, plastics are really solid so whole device just oozes quality, compared to properly cheap stuff from say aliexpress claiming the same.

Their 20,000 mah battery charger works exactly as advertised, has exactly the charge we expect, keeps working few years after purchase just as new.

So, to end suspense - what are actually high end manufacturer(s) in this area? I don't mean gucci-style appearance or some useless branding inflating the price, I mean actual internals.

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