Killer USBs? whats going on? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:04:34 pm
content: I came across this article today which says that some russian "hackers" have developed a new USB drive which kills a computer in seconds by pumping 220v into the usb port. I couldn't imagine how that works, but it was reported by an established newspaper so what do y'all think?http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet-security/11932793/Killer-USB-stick-destroys-your-computer-in-seconds.html

author: fivefish
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:08:10 pm
content: Must be a DC Boost Converter, 12VDC to? volts, whose output is fed back to the signal lines.

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:11:35 pm
content: Quote from: fivefish on October 15, 2015, 12:08:10 pmThats what I thought too but wont most motherboards have some fail safe such as a fuse to prevent frying it up in that scenario? or does the signal lines have nothing of that sort?

author: Daniel_Reyes
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:13:30 pm
content: Quote from: bigdawg on October 15, 2015, 12:11:35 pmIts designed to repeatedly hit the port just under the limit to where it won't turn off the computer but will eventually fry the input protection, then when it fails, the power goes straight to the cpu.Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:18:18 pm
content: V 1.0 minus 110V into data lineshttp://habrahabr.ru/post/251451/V 2.0 minus 220V into data lineshttp://habrahabr.ru/post/268421/

author: GNU_Ninja
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:21:12 pm
content: Wouldn't it just be easier to install Windows 10

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:36:49 pm
content: Quote from: GNU_NinjaOK bastid !! That made me laugh too much!! :-)

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:40:42 pm
content: Hackaday posted this 5 days ago, with more detailed description how it works:http://hackaday.com/2015/10/10/the-usb-killer-version-2-0/I guess I'm getting old, because I think developing such a device is bad and irresponsible, you can develop better things instead (at least looks like he didn't publish the circuit), and I wonder if they are serious in the comments section about giving it to other people, even if it is only a TSA agent.

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 12:57:02 pm
content: Quote from: FrankBuss on October 15, 2015, 12:40:42 pmAgreed. People are nuts if they actually try and use this device. It has no practical "useful" purpose.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 01:02:23 pm
content: QuoteAll protections have a limit on how much energy they can survive - ESD events, while (relatively) high in energy and voltage have a very low duration and repetition rate. If you repeatedly attack ANY protection device you will eventually find a limit as to what it can withstand. Motherboard protections are generally simple sets of ESD clamping diodes - great to protect against the odd spark from your finger, not so good against a malicious attack.You can't really protect anything against everything - you can only set some reasonable boundaries. The average USB (or any port for that matter) use case does not involve 220V high energy repeated impulses.QuoteElectronic warfare on a tight budget?

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 02:27:49 pm
content: That is old news, the author should do better. Also, what does this have to do with hacking.

author: bigdawg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 02:38:14 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on October 15, 2015, 02:27:49 pmI feel like news media likes to throw around buzzwords even when there is little resemblance to their actual "dictionary" definition. Look at that word "inventor" they used not too long ago

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 02:48:04 pm
content: Yeah, it seems everything these days is a hack. It's getting annoying to see it all over the place. 37 life hacks! 10 new kitchen hacks! Etc...-Pat

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 01:31:27 am
content: Quote from: bigdawg on October 15, 2015, 12:57:02 pmWhat about to destroy spy/hacking devices in rogue public chargers? A real charger would just have a dead short between the data lines so it would not be affected.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 01:42:07 am
content: These things have been around for almost as long as the USB standard itself, although they aren't particularly common. Basically, don't plug in a USB device you find on the street :-)

author: Landrew2390
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 02:09:43 am
content: I can't imagine ownership of such a device would be looked upon favorably by the IT guys at work.Having said that, it would be my luck to build one and then forget what it is. Good bye laptop.

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 02:35:03 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on October 16, 2015, 01:42:07 amOr maybe tear it apart first to check that it's safe

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 03:19:17 am
content: Quote from: crispy_tofu on October 16, 2015, 02:35:03 amWell that's where the Dave L. Jones safety message comes in handy: Don't turn it on, take it apart!

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 04:30:56 am
content: I saw this on The Register yesterday, but I assumed it was old news as I thought these devices had been posted on this forum ages ago.

author: oxcart
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 09:27:30 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on October 16, 2015, 01:31:27 amYou nailed it, Sir! Thumbs up!

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 04:15:35 pm
content: In the good ol' days we just had these cables:http://www.fiftythree.org/etherkiller/None of this fancy switchmode converter stuff needed.

author: Stupid Beard
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 07:39:38 pm
content: Quote from: rollatorwieltje on October 16, 2015, 04:15:35 pmI was reading through that last night. I found their modified IDE and SCSI cables particularly amusing.

author: CosPhi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2015, 08:51:13 pm
content: Was already on the blog in marchhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/you-would't-be-very-happy-if-you-found-this-usb-device-in-a-dumpster/