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USB Killer

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(@trewmte)
Posts: 1877
Noble Member
Topic starter
 

With all the quality checking needed for devices with USB ports used in the processes of acquisition of evidence or simply data recovery, quality managers will want to ensure the USB ports have been checked for ESD (e.g. ISO17025, ISO9001, Metrology, etc.), wont they?

https://www.usbkill.com/usb-killer/8-usb-killer.html

Finally available! The USB Killer is a device designed to testing the surge protection of electronics to their limits - and beyond.

When plugged into a device, the USB Killer rapidly charges its capacitors from the USB power lines. When the device is charged, -200VDC is discharged over the data lines of the host device. This charge/discharge cycle is repeated many times per second, until the USB Killer is removed.

Simply put used on unprotected equipment, the USB Killer instantly and permanently disables unprotected hardware.

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Could get expensive, don't you think, should this USB Killer get it wrong and decides all the USB ports on all the tested devices are unprotected and then permanently disables them?

 
Posted : 11/09/2016 8:35 am
jaclaz
(@jaclaz)
Posts: 5133
Illustrious Member
 

Could get expensive, don't you think, should this USB Killer get it wrong and decides all the USB ports on all the tested devices are unprotected and then permanently disables them?

There is some ambiguity in the "permanently disables", what his thingy does on *any* hardware (as NO protected hardware in that sense exists AFAICT, the 95% is as I see it a lower limit, something like 99,99% would be more accurate) is to FRY the electronics.
https://www.usbkill.com/

Who needs one ?

In our tests, over 95% of devices are affected by a USB power surge attack.
Almost all consumer-level hardware fails when tested against the USB Kill.
The most frequent outcome is the complete destruction of the device (laptops, tv, telephones, etc).
Almost all consumer-level hardware fails when tested against the USB Kill.

Hardware designers of public machines should have a USB Kill to test their products photo booths, copy machines, airline entertainment systems, ticket terminals, etc - anything with exposed USB ports should ensure that their systems resist electrical attacks.
Likewise, consumer hardware designers cell phones, laptops, televisions, portable devices - should protect their devices against malicious attacks.
Security auditors and penetration testers should also have a USB Kill 2.0 in their arsenal of tools.
Finally, the general public, or anyone who wants to test or kill their own devices should equip themselves.

The (clever BTW) design is seemingly now "re-branded" as a "test device", but its origin is rather as an "offensive weapon"
https://www.grahamcluley.com/2015/10/usb-killer/
http//habrahabr.ru/post/268421/
Google translated from the Russian

Finally we managed to organize the installation and testing of prototypes of a new version of the device. Devices that perform only one function - the destruction of computers. However, we will not only be limited to computers, the device is able to incapacitate almost any equipment equipped with a USB Host interface. For example, I have on the table is an oscilloscope with USB interface (but still useful), almost all smart phones support USB OTG mode, TV, routers, modems, etc.

See also
http//hackaday.com/2015/10/10/the-usb-killer-version-2-0/

There used to be a similar device (but that connected to mains), just for the record
http//www.fiftythree.org/etherkiller/

jaclaz

 
Posted : 11/09/2016 4:27 pm
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