We all need a weaponized USB. Good thing Hillary Clinton did not have one!
For a tiny amount of cash, you can have in your possession a USB stick that will annihilate any device it is plugged in to. Good thing Hillary Clinton did not have one!
ZDNet reports:
Once a proof-of-concept, the pocket-sized USB stick now fits in any security tester’s repertoire of tools and hacks, says the Hong Kong-based company that developed it. It works like this: when the USB Kill stick is plugged in, it rapidly charges its capacitors from the USB power supply, and then discharges — all in the matter of seconds.
On unprotected equipment, the device’s makers say it will “instantly and permanently disable unprotected hardware”.
You might be forgiven for thinking, “Well, why exactly?”
The lesson here is simple enough. If a device has an exposed USB port — such as a copy machine or even an airline entertainment system — it can be used and abused, not just by a hacker or malicious actor, but also electrical attacks.
Imagine the power you could wield if angry at someone, be it an ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend, or even an ex-employer.
Check out the USB Kill in action:
In this video, we demonstrate the USB Kill Shield, showing the high-voltage output generated by the USB Kill.
For just over $50, do you plan to buy one?
H/T to [ZDNet]