Now e-cigarettes can give you malware

Guardian ^ | Nov 21, 2014 | Alex Hern

[upchuck]

E-cigarettes may be better for your health than normal ones, but spare a thought for your poor computer – electronic cigarettes have become the latest vector for malicious software, according to online reports.

Many e-cigarettes can be charged over USB, either with a special cable, or by plugging the cigarette itself directly into a USB port. That might be a USB port plugged into a wall socket or the port on a computer – but, if so, that means that a cheap e-cigarette from an untrustworthy supplier gains physical access to a device.

A report on social news site Reddit suggests that at least one “vaper” has suffered the downside of trusting their cigarette manufacturer. “One particular executive had a malware infection on his computer from which the source could not be determined,” the user writes. “After all traditional means of infection were covered, IT started looking into other possibilities.

“The made in China e-cigarette had malware hardcoded into the charger, and when plugged into a computer’s USB port the malware phoned home and infected the system.”

[upchuck]

Plugging your E-cigarette in a wall charger seems safest.

[Don W]

I have a plug for a USB in the cigarette lighter in my car.

[Celtic Conservative]

Great, E-cigarettes can now give your computer E- cancer.

CC

[boomop1]

And?

[a fool in paradise]

The internet of things really is everywhere.

[eyeamok]

Can we blame this on AlGore since he invented the internet?

[al baby]

E cigarettes are todays Ed Hardy shirts

[upchuck]

Sure, why not? He has broad shoulders :)

[UCANSEE2]

"Techno logic."

[Drango]

DANG!

[Don W]

My e-ciggy hasn’t downloaded any malware into my car yet... < BG >

[McGruff]

[Gator113]

I won’t be giving up my E-cigarettes, but using a wall charger sounds like a good idea.

[Yo-Yo]

You can also turn off autorun so that malware never gets launched in the first place.

[smokingfrog]

I plugged my e-cig into my car USB, and now the engine coughs!!

[boomop1]

Ah I see.

[Drango]

anything come out of the tailpipe?

[smokingfrog]

Water vapor

[TurboZamboni]

Mine runs like an Congesscritter.

Constantly blowing smoke up my butt.

[Balding_Eagle]

You sure?

Key programed responses (braking) may not work properly during an emergency?.