Maleware loaded into computer through usb charging

[weebitty]

https ://www .yahoo .com/tech/e-cigarette-from-china-infected-mans-computer-with-103466334849.html

This was on yahoo tonight. Has anyone heard about it? Guess where it is manufactured? You guessed it China. This is only one reason I want American made.

 

[AndriaD]

https ://www .yahoo .com/tech/e-cigarette-from-china-infected-mans-computer-with-103466334849.html

This was on yahoo tonight. Has anyone heard about it? Guess where it is manufactured? You guessed it China. This is only one reason I want American made.

Looks like more hysterical ANTZ blather to me. The people writing the article clearly know absolutely zero about e-cigarettes: "Smoking will not only damage your health but also your computer, as e-cigarettes manufactured in China are reportedly being used to spread malicious software..." Good thing I don't 'smoke' my e-cigarette.

I'm also very curious how a BATTERY could have malware in it, which could enter a computer via the USB port -- batteries are merely chemical repositories of electric current, they don't contain "data" or 1s and 0s which is what data is comprised of.

Idiots. They're really scraping the bottom of the barrel now, with hysterical rumors designed to appeal to xenophobic impulses towards the chinese. "Oh, it's Chinese, it must be evil!" Reminds me of the "better-dead-than-red" McCarthyism of the 1950s.

Andria

EDIT: I have to also object most strenuously to the sly insinuation that e-cigarettes will damage your health -- the first sentence actually makes as much sense as saying "apples are poison, so don't eat oranges."

 

[Lessifer]

Not that mainstream media has a great recent track record either, but you should really question the validity of a "news article" that cites reddit as its one and only source.

 

[AndriaD]

Not that mainstream media has a great recent track record either, but you should really question the validity of a "news article" that cites reddit as its one and only source.

Totally agree. That article is an in-your-face insult to ANYone who knows ANYthing about e-cigarettes OR computers OR batteries; it massacres every possible pretense of logic or good sense or physical possibility.

Andria

 

[Susan~S]

Andria

We need a BIG one of these!

 

[The Ocelot]

Recharge your gear using a wall adaptor or buy something with replaceable batteries - except, of course, the batteries are made in China...as is the computer, tablet or phone you are currently using.

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved to New Members

 

[Rwb1500]

This is stupid, and the third or fourth time it has been posted.

 

[tFOrRESTee]

Yahoo news are total trash and Yahoo forum users are nothing but trolls.

 

[dice57]

well do have a T6 & T8, which can get firmware updates on the web, but am leery, aren't those "Terminator" designation?? T6, T8 may just be an alternate future's conspiracy to accelerate skynet and merge with our dimension. But if I really can get rid of that damn puff counter, feel it's worth risking global domination.

 

[WattWick]

Recharge your gear using a wall adaptor or buy something with replaceable batteries - except, of course, the batteries are made in China...as is the computer, tablet or phone you are currently using.

Are you out of your mind? What if my entire house gets infected!?

 

[SthrnCelt]

As Corso Says...not so fast.

Pretty much anything with a USB port can be configured with hardware that has internal storage. It is possible that a device...be it a charger or PV... could be the harbinger of some type of nasty executable that might exploit, damage or otherwise render useless your precious PC. But is it likely? With all the cell phones, tablets, cameras, scanners, printers, TVs, etc that could do the same thing, who really thinks the vaping community would be a sensible target?

Those who worry about it probably sleep with a night cap made of aluminum foil anyway. Good night.

 

[WattWick]

As Corso Says...not so fast.

Pretty much anything with a USB port can be configured with hardware that has internal storage. It is possible that a device...be it a charger or PV... could be the harbinger of some type of nasty executable that might exploit, damage or otherwise render useless your precious PC. But is it likely? With all the cell phones, tablets, cameras, scanners, printers, TVs, etc that could do the same thing, who really thinks the vaping community would be a sensible target?

Those who worry about it probably sleep with a night cap made of aluminum foil anyway. Good night.

Indeed. Any way to input data into a computer is a way in for anyone wanting it enough.

On the other hand, it is ridiculous to single out e-cigs for this kind of scaremongering. People have been getting the odd bit of malware from anything that goes into a USB port since the birth of the USB port. Before that, it mainly came on floppies

 

[AndriaD]

I'm sure there could be instances of it, like those Joyetech e-cigs that let you look at all your vaping data online, by plugging your joyetech device into the usb. but for most types that charge via usb/micro-usb, like the innokins as a good example, it's just a straight connection from port to battery -- batteries don't have 1s and 0s, they have chemicals that hold an electrical charge, so the whole idea is just ridiculous. It's an attempt to play on the fears of mr or ms everyday-folk who use computers but neither know nor care how they *actually work* -- tell 'em their computer is at risk from something and they freak out, because they don't know enough to analyze if it's a credible threat or not.


Andria

 

[WattWick]

I'm sure there could be instances of it, like those Joyetech e-cigs that let you look at all your vaping data online, by plugging your joyetech device into the usb. but for most types that charge via usb/micro-usb, like the innokins as a good example, it's just a straight connection from port to battery -- batteries don't have 1s and 0s, they have chemicals that hold an electrical charge, so the whole idea is just ridiculous. It's an attempt to play on the fears of mr or ms everyday-folk who use computers but neither know nor care how they *actually work* -- tell 'em their computer is at risk from something and they freak out, because they don't know enough to analyze if it's a credible threat or not.


Andria

I know I'll regret this nitpick. Can't help it. My apologies. The payload would be in the charger, not the battery.

... but again... this is nothing unique to e-cigarettes in any way. An unprotected computer should ideally not be connected to the internet at all.

 

[AndriaD]

I know I'll regret this nitpick. Can't help it. My apologies. The payload would be in the charger, not the battery.

... but again... this is nothing unique to e-cigarettes in any way. An unprotected computer should ideally not be connected to the internet at all.

But there really is no "charger," just a connection from battery to port -- a simple usb or micro-usb cable.

Andria

 

[Lessifer]

But there really is no "charger," just a connection from battery to port -- a simple usb or micro-usb cable.

Andria

I think they're talking about the ego/cigalike chargers, the one that you screw the battery into. It is possible someone could put something in there, just highly unlikely as there isn't anything in there made to hold software that would interact with the computer, most don't have the data pins enabled, as there's no reason for them to be.

 

[fogging_katrider]

I'm sure there could be instances of it, like those Joyetech e-cigs that let you look at all your vaping data online, by plugging your joyetech device into the usb. but for most types that charge via usb/micro-usb, like the innokins as a good example, it's just a straight connection from port to battery -- batteries don't have 1s and 0s, they have chemicals that hold an electrical charge, so the whole idea is just ridiculous. It's an attempt to play on the fears of mr or ms everyday-folk who use computers but neither know nor care how they *actually work* -- tell 'em their computer is at risk from something and they freak out, because they don't know enough to analyze if it's a credible threat or not.


Andria

Said another way...
The basic usb ecig charger is only connected to the pos & neg output of a usb port. The printed curcuit board has no components connected to the data lines of the usb cable. It only receives power from the usb and sends it to the battery to charge it.
The silly article is just ANTZ poppycock trying to insinuate that a usb ego battery / charger combo is going to "phone home" some how while infecting your computer with malware/spyware. It is not even possible.

Originally Posted by The Ocelot View Post
Recharge your gear using a wall adaptor or buy something with replaceable batteries - except, of course, the batteries are made in China...as is the computer, tablet or phone you are currently using.

wattwick replied...
Are you out of your mind? What if my entire house gets infected!?

 

[Rickajho]

Moved to New Members

Move to The Lounge? Or maybe OUTSIDE even? Please?

 

[Rickajho]

Are you out of your mind? What if my entire house gets infected!?

Ah. Now we know the real reason for all those runaway Toyota acceleration problems - charging in the car. Could someone please post about this on reddit? The truth must be out there!!! Really REALLY out there.