This Evil Charging Cable Will Infect Your Computer With a Virus
Not-so-Basic Cable
Using a tiny implant, a security researcher was able to rig an Apple charging cable to give himself access to a user’s devices — meaning he could use it to steal your data or even infect your computer with a virus.
“It looks like a legitimate cable and works just like one,” the researcher, who goes by the handle MG, told Motherboard. “Not even your computer will notice a difference. Until I, as an attacker, wirelessly take control of the cable.”
Remote Control
MG demonstrated one of his O.MG Cables, which he made in his kitchen, for Motherboard at the Def Con hacking conference, telling the outlet that once a person connects the charger to their computer, a hacker can run commands on the device as long as they’re within 300 feet of it.
“It’s like being able to sit at the keyboard and mouse of the victim but without actually being there,” he told Motherboard.
Trust No One
MG was selling his cables at the conference for $200 each, and he plans to work with the company Hak5 to begin producing the devices as a “legitimate security tool,” Motherboard wrote.
While it’s not clear from the article how the cables could serve to boost security, one takeaway is obvious: you’ll want to think twice before borrowing a charging cable from anyone in the future.
READ MORE: These Legit-Looking iPhone Lightning Cables Will Hijack Your Computer [Motherboard]
More on computer viruses: This Dude Is Selling a Virus-Infested Laptop For $1.2 Million
The post This Evil Charging Cable Will Infect Your Computer With a Virus appeared first on Futurism.