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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

#51

Post by fencepost »

ffsm8 wrote: post #27
verandaguy wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't heard of cell modems in particular, but I've used O.MG cables (described and sold here: https://shop.hak5.org/products/omg-cable ; I am unaffiliated with either Hak5 or the team behind O.MG cables) which can create an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network for management/C2 reasons. It's actually really easy to use (and almost scary, coming from never having used one of these). They are quite pricey, but way less so than old…

I'm aware that there's are local keylogger/payload cables around which let you transmit data short range. My surprise was specifically about the supposed cell modem within a 6€ cable

It's not that they're cheap cables - it's that they look like cheap cables (or better, middling expensive higher-quality ones).

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#52

Post by hackernewds »

doe_eyes wrote: post #47
quotemstr wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Probably some Paypal or AdWords ToS with their vague prohibitions on "hacking tools".

those are not regulations

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#53

Post by rramadass »

geepytee wrote: post #31
Izkata wrote: post #23

Look for "power meter" if you want stuff like this. I bought this one a year ago: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B99Z2GJK/ And this one for USB 3.0 four years ago: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019RHJRM8/ Modern ones give a whole lot more information than the one in the article.

Out of curiosity, why did you buy a power meter? Does it help with troubleshooting hardware?

Suppose you plugged in your Phone/Tablet and it is not charging or charging very slowly etc. Problems might be;

1) The battery is dead and cannot be charged.

2) The cable is a non-charging one or internally damaged/dead or non-fastcharging or with limited fastcharging capability.

3) The charger is not capable enough to supply the max current that the device can use to charge itself.

To troubleshoot the problem, first check the Voltage/Current specs for your device, make sure that the charger plug/battery can provide the same voltage but same or higher amount of current. Then use a USB power meter to see what is actually being drawn (or not) to figure out where and what the problem might be. One key point to note is that for fastcharging all the links in the chain i.e. charger, cable and device should support it.

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#56

Post by hansvm »

ikekkdcjkfke wrote: post #38
gonesilent wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can find them with full cell modems hidden in the cable end molding.

Since US doesnt have GDPR it would be the fiduciary duty to install mic's in all cables and record all conversations

I'm all for some privacy protections, but doesn't 2-party consent cover that particular use case already? In CA, it swings a bit far the other way, and if you have a hidden mic recording a business lying through their teeth with the intent to defraud you, you might have a little wiggle room, but the recording is likely to be thrown out of any civil actions (and some criminal actions).

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#58

Post by vasco »

creatonez wrote: post #48
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?

I guess you can exfiltrate any data to nearby security cameras by randomly flashing sensitive bits every once in a while :)

Why would you do that with a display and visible light instead of a tiny antenna using basically any other part of the spectrum

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#59

Post by transpute »

kmoser wrote: post #50
infectoid wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If power is all you are looking for you can always play it safe with a USB Condom. e.g https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=PortaPow

Assuming you trust that device to not be malicious. It's turtles all the way down.

Minimal Portapow for visual verification, https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-Pure-USB-Data-Blocker/dp/B07...

  Transparent casing, no-chip design and custom made USB connector with data pins visibly removed means you can be sure the blocker is secure.

Re: They make USB-C cables with displays now

#60

Post by transpute »

lallysingh wrote: post #43

So shall we expect the USB protocol to go encrypted? The USB committee (I don't know their actual name) can act as a root CA. It doesn't take a lot of compute to encrypt at my typing rate. I'd expect high transfer rate devices to probably already have the hardware (e.g everyone at rest).

There was a 2016 draft proposal for USB-C authentication, https://www.anandtech.com/show/10251/usbc-authentication-ann...
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