11–20 of 28 posts
Why not just crack usb socket with a knife? Or put super glue in there?
I imagine that the USB PHY of a well designed system exposed to this attack will not survive, but the entire system won't be so easily nerfed either.
I don't quite get it. Site mentions that device "prevents data theft via 'juice-jacking'"; what do they mean? If I borrow someone's charger, and it has a chip that steals transmitted data somehow? Wouldn't better solution for this be charge from outlet, rather than nuking USB controller in your laptop? Hardware designers of public machines… …with exposed USB ports should ensure that their systems resist electrical at…
Quote from the front page: "If you use a charger or USB port that is not your own - the device can steal your data while you are charging. Using a USB Kill Shield will prevent devices from having access to your data."
What's next. A taser with an HDMI connector?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
To test your USB-ports. For consumers, this isn't overly useful. This is what they write: "Hardware designers of public machines should have a USB Kill to test their products: photo booths, copy machines, airline entertainment systems, ticket terminals, etc - anything with exposed USB ports should ensure that their systems resist electrical attacks." Seems like a form of hardware pentesting to me, so for security exp…
Sadly as with all forms of pentesting there is the flip side: Unprotected systems are vulnerable to attacks. Imagine one attacker distracting the victim in a café and the other attacker quickly inserting the Kill stick. Sort of a hardware Denial of Service. I am going to research for lockable USB dongles you can insert and remove only with a key.
You're in a coffee shop. Wouldn't the attackers just "accidentally" spill coffee on your laptop? Some laptops cope well with water from the top (over the keyboard) but not in the air vents.
Why not just crack usb socket with a knife? Or put super glue in there?
The attack involves taking down a high-value system via low-value, readily accessible USB port. I imagine that the USB PHY of a well designed system exposed to this attack will not survive, but the entire system won't be so easily nerfed either.
But why?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sadly as with all forms of pentesting there is the flip side: Unprotected systems are vulnerable to attacks. Imagine one attacker distracting the victim in a café and the other attacker quickly inserting the Kill stick. Sort of a hardware Denial of Service. I am going to research for lockable USB dongles you can insert and remove only with a key.
> Imagine one attacker distracting the victim in a café and the other attacker quickly inserting the Kill stick. Sort of a hardware Denial of Service. You're in a coffee shop. Wouldn't the attackers just "accidentally" spill coffee on your laptop? Some laptops cope well with water from the top (over the keyboard) but not in the air vents.
The difference is deniability, you can always see that someone killed your laptop with coffee or smashed it with a hammer, with this you wouldn't know until you can examine the circuits.
I like patcheudor's comment here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12467176