USB Killer: The USB stick frying destroy PC components
A researcher has shown proof-of-concept of running a USB stick which, when connected to a PC, can destroy instantly integrated components, making it completely unusable.
A researcher known by the pseudonym Dark Purple showed a USB stick which, when connected, can permanently destroy the components of the integrated system. USB sticks are probably among the most widespread systems for vehicular malware in the PC, as in the case of BadUSB, but the case of ” USB Killer ” is entirely new. We speak of a stylus that simply sends an electric shock to the USB port with immediately fatal consequences for the machine.
In other words, a taser disguised as a USB stick. The aggression of USB Killer has nothing to do with the sophisticated malware that use advanced code to disappear monitoring of security systems, and as such will not be easy to find and spread a system for protection from the new proof-of-concept shown by Dark Purple. USB Killer also appears to be essentially identical to an USB stick traditional, only that it is able to ” fry ” in an instant the electronics of a PC.
” When we connect to the USB port, a DC/DC converter is activated and charges the capacitors to -110V. When the voltage is reached, the drive will trip. At the same time, you turn on the transistor, which is used to apply the voltage – 110V to the signal lines of the USB interface, ” writes Dark Purple, explaining the operation of its creation. ” When the voltage on the capacitors increases up to -7V, the transistor closes and the conversion starts cyclically “.
Dark Purple has not released the source for the construction of the USB stick, but it is likely that attackers can perform work of reverse-engineering starting from the explanation of the same researcher. While an attack of this type can have specific purposes (for example, extortion of money or sensitive data), the other in its execution speed could be a big problem.
We do not believe that USB Killer can still spread at an alarming rate, yet it is one more reason to doubt any flash drive from dubious origin.
