? Another reason to use a wall wart?

[DaveP]

https://srlabs.de/badusb/

Have you heard of the most recent "BadUSB" vulnerability? Malware is loaded onto a microController that is invisible to the OS, and is found already on nearly all USB devices. Because it is invisible to the OS, virus scanners don't see it. At least, that's the basic gist I get from it. I haven't actually read much into it because I don't plug odd things into my USB ports.

As far the this story though, I think they were just full of crap.

For most people, even an autorun script will be invisible. Who looks to see whether there's code on an ecig or a thumbdrive when they plug it in to charge on a laptop? I don't worry about it, but it could happen.

There's work being done to stop the USB microcode issues. For right now, the fix is to never share thumbdrives with others. Burn it to a CD/DVD and give it to them for keeps. But, how do they know you weren't infected when you created the CD?

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2840...ut-undetectable-malware-on-a-flash-drive.html

 

[DaveP]

My Mother called me about 7:30 this morning to tell me someone with a foreign accent called her to tell her that her computer was infected and needed to be cleaned. Her computer was off, but she told me her cable modem lights were flashing! I had to explain to her that it was a scam just like the other telemarketing calls she gets. Her modem lights will normally flash even when her computer is off. Not a problem.

Everyone wants to make money off people who can be scammed these days. It's not much different than the guys who offer a free inspection and then tell you there are termites they can remove for a large fee.

 

[rico942]

Everyone wants to make money off people who can be scammed these days. It's not much different than the guys who offer a free inspection and then tell you there are termites they can remove for a large fee.

Or the disreputable mechanic who dumps some oil under your car from a bottle in his pocket ...

A good friend "warned" me about PVs and USB charging just yesterday. One of his neighbors had brought him an infected laptop to clean and claimed "my e-cig done it" ...

I emailed him to check the USB connector, after reading the post here from csardaz yesterday. Sure enough, only two pins, power and ground ...

The guy didn't want his wife to find out he was visiting porn sites ...

 

[DaveP]

Or the disreputable mechanic who dumps some oil under your car from a bottle in his pocket ...

A good friend "warned" me about PVs and USB charging just yesterday. One of his neighbors had brought him an infected laptop to clean and claimed "my e-cig done it" ...

I emailed him to check the USB connector, after reading the post here from csardaz yesterday. Sure enough, only two pins, power and ground ...

The guy didn't want his wife to find out he was visiting porn sites ...

Yep. Beware of data sources from other peoples' computers. The media you boot may kick you in the ..... I'd be much more wary of SD cards, thumbdrives, and any CD/DVD written by someone else's computer. Dirt can travel.

 

[Painter_]

I am shocked that so many "news" sites have picked up and ran with this unverified "story" from a reddit user. I wonder why the same "journalists" have not picked up on these alien stories in the /r/ufo or the ghost stories in the /r/paranormal area.