Posted on 09/12/2016 8:41:16 PM PDT by Swordmaker
A Hong Kong based manufacturer, USB Kill, recently developed a device that can annihilate any modern device there is.
The USB Killer is not a toy. Created by a manufacturer based in Hong Kong, USB Kill, it is thumb drive that destroys the physical components of any modern device that it is plugged into.
The thumb drive named USB Kill 2.0 is a testing device created to test USB ports against power surge attacks. How it works? It simply collects power from the USB power lines until it reaches a certain voltage (240V). Following which it discharges the stored voltage into the USB data lines. This cycle is rapid and repeated till the device can no longer discharge or in other words, the circuit of the machine is broken or destroyed.
This device may come across as something that a villain from perhaps, a James Bond movie may use. However, the device is not created for evil purposes. According to the tests conducted by USB Kill, over 95 per cent of the devices are affected by a USB power surge attack. In fact, majority of these consumer-level hardware have failed when tested against the USB Kill. Hence, in order to protect the devices against malicious attacks, something like the USB Kill 2.0 is required that can quickly detect how exposed the USB ports are and ensure that the systems are well protected against electrical attacks.
Unfortunately, despite the increasing prominence USB Kill 2.0 has gained in the recent past, not many companies have taken that much interest in the same.
“To this day, according to our testing, the only company that releases hardware protected against a USB power-surge attack is Apple, on their Laptop and Desktop ranges. This means - despite adequate warning, and time to respond - the majority of consumer-level hardware manufacturers choose not to protect their customer's devices. We are disheartened by this lack of respect for customers,” said the organization.
The device is available on the company’s official website at 49,95 € (approximately 3,759 rupees).
Thanks to Swordmaker for the ping!!
There would have to be some type of surge protector/breaker in place to interrupt it.
Since this device requires no data communication, disabling USB ports as part of a Windows group policy may have no effect. As long as the port is energized, even if no data is allowed to transfer, it will charge the capacitors of this kill device and shunt it back into the computer.
You would need possibly BIOS level controls to physically “de-power” unused ports.
Ever since I’ve heard of this device I’ve been on the lookout where vulnerabilities exist. It’s amazing how many POS terminals and receptionist desks, etc have exposed USB ports that are easily accessible.
I’m most concerned about voting machines. I used to work as a chief of precinct for Fairfax County, VA. The old Shouptronic machines were very resistant to physical attack, as all the electronic ports and controls were on the back of the machine and not easily accessible by a voter.
The new machines (at least as of 2010) are essentially touch screen PCs running Windows XP embedded. I don’t remember if they have an exposed USB port, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Someone going into a precinct with a USB kill stick that is known to produce Republican votes and destroying a machine would make it very difficult to retrieve the tally figures.
Chalk it up to malfunction, but a clandestine targeting of devices spread out over a geographic area could tip a very close race.
I kind of agree. . . in what way is this a true piece of testing equipment when there is really no way to know at exact what voltage and current the tested PC finally gave up and failed? I don't see any test leads on the USB stick to tell the tester what level it reached before the tested PC failed. It just keeps upping the voltage and current until the target PC fails to block the surge being presented. In what way does that tell the tester how much protection is necessary?
Nope shouldn't touch the platters of the HDs, but it might get through to any SSDs, depending on the design and whether it gets onto the bus.
Apparently what they are reporting is "Uh, no, they don't." Only Apple was smart enough, or paranoid enough, to protect the USB bus.
When I got rid of my first Dell computer, I took the hard drive out and smashed it to smithereens.......then I put the smithereened drive in the garbage and the computer itself by the garbage can on garbage pick up day..........
I'm about to do the same thing with this 10 year old Windows XP computer.............but I can't afford a new one.
A 90mm cannon works better:
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