USB Killer Devices Get Upgraded

[FrgMstr]

I think we all know that letting anyone has access to your system's USB ports is not a good idea, just ask the dead guy that used to run Iran's nuclear program. That aside, it looks as though USBKiller.com has a new USB Killer V3 of its "testing device" that has been upgraded and now delivers even more power to "test the surge protection circuitry of electronics to their limits - and beyond." The device is basically a system of capacitors that charge up then repeatedly discharge into the system at ~200VDC until the unit is removed or it is not longer able to get power. The company sells the USB keys in an "Anonymous Edition" as well. Be vigilant my friends. And if you happend to see a USB that looks like the ones below, you might have them plug it into their own device first, if you are thinking about letting anyone violate your USB port.

If you are doubting the ability of these devices to kill or permanently damage your electronics, the company has put together a montage of destruction.

There are more than a few devices on the market that will physically block USB ports (and others) on your computer to make it a big harder to perform a drive-by USB key plugin.

 

[Deleted member 245375]

The creators of these purposely malicious tools are the kind of people I'd like to line up against a wall and then shoot them with USB sticks launched at very high velocities with modified high-tension crossbows.

Surely we can get a Kickstarter for this kind of project, right? Anyone with a 3D printer want to work out the device designs and prototype it?

 

[NeoNemesis]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Is it actually legal to sell shit like this?

 

[Deleted member 93354]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Is it actually legal to sell shit like this?

Why wouldn't you want it to be. There might be situations where you WANT to destroy a motherboard...but most of them are military and state sponsored secrets. As it is today, some of the protocols are break out a hammer and knock the @#$@# out of it. That's not so good for a plane that is going down in a less than friendly place...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident

But for the common man, likely not.

 

[scojer]

Everyone should have one sitting around and label it "Cayman islands bank" and if your house gets broken into, hopefully they swipe it and destroy their shit when they think they scored big.

Just tell friends and family so they don't decide to see what's on it.

 

[DukenukemX]

Why wouldn't you want it to be. There might be situations where you WANT to destroy a motherboard...but most of them are military and state sponsored secrets. As it is today, some of the protocols are break out a hammer and knock the @#$@# out of it. That's not so good for a plane that is going down in a less than friendly place...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident

But for the common man, likely not.

Killing a motherboard does not prevent your data from being stolen. Best case scenario you break the motherboard. Worst case scenario you break the USB ports only.

 

[PaulP]

Better yet, label it "bit coin keys" and then just leave it in your pocket. The would-be thieves get what they deserve. Hopefully they will try it on multiple devices.

The only other legit reason I can see to have something like this is for testing USB ports that are supposed to be hardened against this type of abuse.

 

[That_Sound_Guy]

Everyone should have one sitting around and label it "Cayman islands bank" and if your house gets broken into, hopefully they swipe it and destroy their shit when they think they scored big.

Just tell friends and family so they don't decide to see what's on it.

Better yet, label it "bit coin keys" and then just leave it in your pocket. The would-be thieves get what they deserve. Hopefully they will try it on multiple devices.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this resulted in a lawsuit against you. Similar to if a thieve breaks into your house and hurts himself type thing. Albeit very rare for such a case to happen, and be lost but with how dumb and sensitive people have come today, I can see it happening. Example: thief takes to library/school, fries machines, gets caught, jailed. They ask where it came from, your house during theft, find it was intentionally marked wrong to generate malicious intent, you would be at fault.

 

[PaulP]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this resulted in a lawsuit against you. Similar to if a thieve breaks into your house and hurts himself type thing. Albeit very rare for such a case to happen, and be lost but with how dumb and sensitive people have come today, I can see it happening. Example: thief takes to library/school, fries machines, gets caught, jailed. They ask where it came from, your house during theft, find it was intentionally marked wrong to generate malicious intent, you would be at fault.

"Really your honor, I have no idea how that label got on that key. Maybe the admitted criminal put it on there and is the party lying to you."

 

[Deleted member 93354]

Killing a motherboard does not prevent your data from being stolen. Best case scenario you break the motherboard. Worst case scenario you break the USB ports only.

The circuit charges from the +5 off the USB supply which comes off the common bus plane after going through an on off relay. This little bugger will keep zapping even after the patient is more than dead. If you are using embedded RAM chips/nand on an embedded device it could more than likely fry it.

Or do you think lightening stops once it reaches your first outlet?

But by going by your premise that it only damages USB, it would still have valid use in places like the NSA to keep people from plugging in USB devices.

 

[ymer]

The circuit charges from the +5 off the USB supply which comes off the common bus plane after going through an on off relay. This little bugger will keep zapping even after the patient is more than dead. If you are using embedded RAM chips/nand on an embedded device it could more than likely fry it.

Or do you think lightening stops once it reaches your first outlet?

But by going by your premise that it only damages USB, it would still have valid use in places like the NSA to keep people from plugging in USB devices.

Time to stop posting my friend.

 

[collegeboy69us]

The creators of these purposely malicious tools are the kind of people I'd like to line up against a wall and then shoot them with USB sticks launched at very high velocities with modified high-tension crossbows.

Surely we can get a Kickstarter for this kind of project, right? Anyone with a 3D printer want to work out the device designs and prototype it?

Sure - but if we make that legal there is a long line of people that deserve that sort of death before these guys. If we can deal with all the drunk drivers, murderers, kiddy diddlers first....

Seriously though - this is just like any other tool that can be used to destroy something. Let's kill everyone that's ever designed and built a gun type device? Oops sorry little billy, you built that potato cannon because it was interesting and cool, now we have to execute you.

 

[Deleted member 93354]

Time to stop posting my friend.

Why?

I read the article and saw the defcon demo. It will fry the Mobo.

And open USB ports are a threat to any critical system. Just ask Iran about stuxnet.

 

[hardboner]

this would be a major headache for college campuses where some asshole college kid could kill all the computers in the lab. Hope they have cameras installed.

 

[Dead Parrot]

Label one, "Danger, Do Not Use!" and carry with you when you travel out of the US. If Customs takes it to examine the data, you can honestly say that they should have read the warning label.

 

[NeoNemesis]

Seriously though - this is just like any other tool that can be used to destroy something. Let's kill everyone that's ever designed and built a gun type device? Oops sorry little billy, you built that potato cannon because it was interesting and cool, now we have to execute you.

The difference between this and say... a gun... is that a gun has more uses than just destroying shit. Protection, hunting, sports come to mind.

I challenge you to find a legitimate, non malicious, use for this device.

 

[Deleted member 245375]

Sure - but if we make that legal there is a long line of people that deserve that sort of death before these guys.

At what point did I say I wanted them dead?

Can you imagine how much pain would be inflicted on someone getting hit by a typical USB stick traveling at a few hundred feet per second, especially multiple such hits? Yeah, I can imagine that hence my concept but as long the target zone doesn't include the face (we could even put a shield up in front of the person covering the area from the tops of the shoulders and up) I seriously doubt anybody would die from it.

But I don't have any issues with finding out.

 

[westrock2000]

The creators of these purposely malicious tools are the kind of people I'd like to line up against a wall and then shoot them with USB sticks launched at very high velocities with modified high-tension crossbows.

Surely we can get a Kickstarter for this kind of project, right? Anyone with a 3D printer want to work out the device designs and prototype it?

Dick heads been dick head'n for ever

Blotto Box

Floppy Disk Bomb

 

[collegeboy69us]

The difference between this and say... a gun... is that a gun has more uses than just destroying shit. Protection, hunting, sports come to mind.

I challenge you to find a legitimate, non malicious, use for this device.

Here at work when we have certain equipment that needs to be destroyed, this would be a super fast and kinda fun tool to do it. Due to certain policies (some of them rather retarded) when we get rid of certain equipment it can't be in working order. Id rather spend 5 seconds plugging this device in so it won't ever POST again, then another 15 seconds with a power drill through the hard drive and it would make my life a lot easier. Vs the current employed methods.

I don't hunt, and I don't participate in any gun sporting events, but I have quite a few just because they are cool/interesting/fun.

 

[zkostik]

Here at work when we have certain equipment that needs to be destroyed, this would be a super fast and kinda fun tool to do it. Due to certain policies (some of them rather retarded) when we get rid of certain equipment it can't be in working order. Id rather spend 5 seconds plugging this device in so it won't ever POST again, then another 15 seconds with a power drill through the hard drive and it would make my life a lot easier. Vs the current employed methods.

I don't hunt, and I don't participate in any gun sporting events, but I have quite a few just because they are cool/interesting/fun.

Except it doesn't guarantee data removal, it likely won't even do much depending on how mobo is designed as well as timed fuses on usb ports. This thing generates little current and probably not enough to jump wires if mobo is properly designed. It might kill your mobo but likely not data. Personally, I see this as more of an asshole device than having any real application. I find it rather disturbing that this went beyond initial proof of concept into actual product they sell. If someone plugs this into my computer I'll beat their ass blind. If you need to destroy data, you will need to crush your drives.

 

[EvilSpock]

The difference between this and say... a gun... is that a gun has more uses than just destroying shit. Protection, hunting, sports come to mind.

I challenge you to find a legitimate, non malicious, use for this device.

its an IT Obsolescence Management Tool - it not too malicious but when a bean counter in finance (capital equipment cost) says that a laptop has to be 5+ years old or 10+ years for a server before your due for a replacement.

 

[NeoNemesis]

its an IT Obsolescence Management Tool - it not too malicious but when a bean counter in finance (capital equipment cost) says that a laptop has to be 5+ years old or 10+ years for a server before your due for a replacement.

Funny .

But I can imagine some douche bag walking through a University library with one of these things disabling laptops and computers by the dozen.

Especially the anonymous one, even if you could somehow justify the branded one for testing (you really have to squint) you cannot justify the anonymous one.

 

[Darunion]

The difference between this and say... a gun... is that a gun has more uses than just destroying shit. Protection, hunting, sports come to mind.

I challenge you to find a legitimate, non malicious, use for this device.

Low budget surge testing of usb controllers/chargers?

But then I would just step it up to make sure it was bullet proof.