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Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
If you connect your devices to anything public, be it wireless or wired Internet, or USB power charging stations, it is best to assume that these are not safe. While you can protect your data in several ways, e.g. by using a VPN when you need to access the Internet while connected to a public or untrusted network, it is sometimes the case that simple things are overlooked. In November 2019, Los Angeles' District Attorney's Office published an advisory to travelers about the potential dangers of public USB ports. These ports could be used for an attack that has been called juice-jacking. Juice Jacking basically allows attackers to steal data or infect devices that unsuspecting people plug into specifically prepared USB power stations. The Distrcit[sic] Attorney's Office recommended that travelers use AC power outlets directly, use portable chargers, or charge devices in cars instead of using public USB chargers. While that is sound advice, it may not be possible sometimes to use these alternatives. That's where the Original USB Condom comes into play.
Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2019/12/09/usb-condoms-are-a-thing-now/
Is "juice jacking" really a thing though? Have any of you soylentils out there actually seen a rogue USB plug in the wild?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 13 2019, @08:10PM (2 children)
My workplace did something like that with a URL in an email. Lots of nerds used wget in a VM or on an exotic architecture, hoping to capture some sweet malware. We all have IDA Pro, so we came prepared. The URL delivered 0 bytes, then alerted IT to give us a scolding for being clueless about security.
USB devices are a bit more threatening of course. They could contain explosives, nerve gas, or biological agents.
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Saturday December 14 2019, @01:09PM
Or simply fry your electronics when inserted.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 2) by Hyperturtle on Monday December 16 2019, @02:38PM
Look up the "USB killer". People have made USB sticks that are engineered to charge a capacitor that is way out of spec and then release it to zap the usb port/controller. I imagine by now someone has made cables that can do that too.
I really wanted to make one, but the reality is that someone I know at some point will find it and plug it in even if I label it. And that there are really no good reasons to have one of those laying around--they're intended for destruction, and generally self-destruct. A successful test means dead hardware--as does an accidental deployment...