Skip to comments.
Now e-cigarettes can give you malware
Guardian ^
| Nov 21, 2014
| Alex Hern
Posted on 11/21/2014 3:40:53 PM PST by 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 computers USB port the malware phoned home and infected the system.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: computers; computing; ecigs; malware
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21 next last
Plugging your E-cigarette in a wall charger seems safest.
1
posted on
11/21/2014 3:40:53 PM PST
by
upchuck
To: upchuck
I have a plug for a USB in the cigarette lighter in my car.
2
posted on
11/21/2014 3:43:20 PM PST
by
Don W
(To laugh, perhaps to dream...)
To: upchuck
Great, E-cigarettes can now give your computer E- cancer.
CC
To: Don W
4
posted on
11/21/2014 3:47:00 PM PST
by
boomop1
To: upchuck; GeronL; Slings and Arrows
The internet of things really is everywhere.
5
posted on
11/21/2014 3:49:30 PM PST
by
a fool in paradise
(Shickl-Gruber's Big Lie gave us Hussein's Un-Affordable Care act (HUAC).)
To: upchuck
Can we blame this on AlGore since he invented the internet?
6
posted on
11/21/2014 3:55:25 PM PST
by
eyeamok
To: upchuck
E cigarettes are todays Ed Hardy shirts
7
posted on
11/21/2014 3:56:57 PM PST
by
al baby
(Hi MomÂ…)
To: eyeamok
Sure, why not? He has broad shoulders :)
8
posted on
11/21/2014 3:58:09 PM PST
by
upchuck
(The language of government now is word-spew. ~ h/t Peggy Noonan)
To: a fool in paradise
"Techno logic."
9
posted on
11/21/2014 3:58:46 PM PST
by
UCANSEE2
(Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
To: upchuck
10
posted on
11/21/2014 4:12:24 PM PST
by
Drango
(A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
To: boomop1
My e-ciggy hasn’t downloaded any malware into my car yet... < BG >
11
posted on
11/21/2014 4:16:24 PM PST
by
Don W
(To laugh, perhaps to dream...)
To: upchuck
12
posted on
11/21/2014 4:16:27 PM PST
by
McGruff
(If you like your current Democracy you can keep it. Period.)
To: upchuck
I won’t be giving up my E-cigarettes, but using a wall charger sounds like a good idea.
13
posted on
11/21/2014 4:27:59 PM PST
by
Gator113
( Impeach. Remove from office. Arrest. Convict. Imprison for life.)
To: upchuck
You can also turn off autorun so that malware never gets launched in the first place.
14
posted on
11/21/2014 4:32:59 PM PST
by
Yo-Yo
(Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
To: upchuck
I plugged my e-cig into my car USB, and now the engine coughs!!
15
posted on
11/21/2014 4:35:48 PM PST
by
smokingfrog
( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
To: Don W
16
posted on
11/21/2014 4:43:07 PM PST
by
boomop1
To: smokingfrog
anything come out of the tailpipe?
17
posted on
11/21/2014 4:44:32 PM PST
by
Drango
(A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
To: Drango
18
posted on
11/21/2014 4:59:00 PM PST
by
smokingfrog
( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
To: smokingfrog
Mine runs like an Congesscritter.
Constantly blowing smoke up my butt.
19
posted on
11/21/2014 5:25:43 PM PST
by
TurboZamboni
(Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.-JFK)
To: Don W
You sure?
Key programed responses (braking) may not work properly during an emergency?.
20
posted on
11/21/2014 5:31:23 PM PST
by
Balding_Eagle
(The Gruber Revelations are proof that God is still smiling on America.)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson