Gadgets Electronic cigarettes and other devices connected to the computer via USB pose risks, according to scientists
Complaints from consumers who fall victim to malware due to the connection of their e-cigarette or some other gadget to their computer are raining down. Experts draw the attention of consumers especially in the case of cheap electronic products of unknown identity, which may pose risks to the health… of their computer.
USB, the hidden threat
A few months ago a hacker, known as Jester, had predicted the rise of this problem and the extent that it could take this device-to-device.
"THEall these office gadgets - from the appliance that heats our coffee mug, to other sought after Gadget which can be obtained through online stores - which are made in China and connected via a USB port to our computer, may put you at serious risk"Jester had reported last March.
The story according to Rick Ferguson, security consultant of the Japanese security software company Trend Micro, is still true and unfortunately already many households have been "infected" by these devices. «The malware that accompanies these devices from the line partreatmenthas been a problem for a few years now, infecting digital photo frames, MP3 players and other devices"He says.
To search for new cyber-weapons
Last August, as part of the Black Hat conference on cyber security held in Las Vegas, USA, scientists from the German company Security Research Labs (SRLabs) με σκοπό να αναλύσουν τους κινδύνους μέσω της τεχνολογίας USB παρουσίασαν το BadUSB: ένα κακόβουλο λογισμικό που δημιούργησαν, ικανό να «τρυπώνει» στις συσκευές του τύπου, να επαναπρογραμματίζει τα μικροτσίπ τους και να scoreπάει την καταστροφή παραμένοντας «αόρατο» στη γνωστή σάρωση των υπαρκτών προγραμμάτων Anti-Virus. Το BadUSB, σύμφωνα με τους δημιουργούς του, κατά τη σύνδεσή του με τον υπολογιστή είναι ικανό να «μολύνει» το πληκτρολόγιο, το mouse, το φλασάκι, τον εξωτερικό σκληρό δίσκο, το χειριστήριο βιντεοπαιχνιδιών ή οποιαδήποτε άλλη περιφερειακή συσκευή, μετατρέποντάς την σε κυβερνοαπειλή καθώς ανοίγει τις «πόρτες» στους… αετονύχηδες του Διαδικτύου.
«For the time being, USB microchips are not accompanied by a protection against reprogramming, which means there is no way to deal with the specific threat"Experts from the German company SRLabs, based in Berlin, argue. «This flexibility of USB devices is their Achilles heel: since devices of different classes can be connected to the same port, one of them can turn into a destructive accessory without even user to understand it».
Source: tovima.gr
