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USB "Condom" Allows You To Practice Safe Charging
MojoKid writes "Yep, a USB condom. That term is mostly a dose of marketing brilliance, which is to say that grabs your attention while also serving as an apt description of the product. A little company called int3.cc has developed a product—a USB condom—that blocks the data pins in your USB device while leaving the power pins free. Thus, any time you need to plug a device such as a smartphones into a USB port to charge it—let's say at a public charging kiosk or a coworker's computer--you don't have to worry about compromising any data or contracting some nasty malware. It's one of those simple solutions that seems so obvious once someone came up with it."
Why does this require a big PCB with three ICs?
Obviously for the circuitry to inject its own malware into the devices connected to it.
You could do that. I could also not buy your broken charger.
But you know what you're doing. Social engineering will always work on some people though:
"My phone is flat and I really need to take a photo of my big mac to show my friends, can I borrow your charger?"
"Sure, here you go"
"It's not working"
"Try taking that adapter thing off, it's probably mucking up the charging"
Faced with the horror of eating their big mac without it first being photographed, I think you can guess how this story ends...
Just the tip you say???
A little company called int3.cc has developed a product—a USB condom—that blocks the data pins in your USB device while leaving the power pins free.
If you consider something that blocks the middle of the male end but leaves the sides open to be a "condom," you might want to see a doctor. Soon.
If you consider that it allows for insertion without allowing the flow of information, the comparison might be more correct than you think.
Yes. But I hate charging with these 'cause it just doesn't feel as good...
The USB condom won't complain about that.
That's why I tamper-proof my phone with Windows 8, and a picture of Justin Bieber for the locked screen.
All I have to do is feed some "connection error" kinda stuff on the screen until the guy takes off his condom.
For anyone new here this is a fine example of geek sexting...
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
[sigh] So much for "Universal".
Hey, man, not my problem if two passengers don't get along, I just drive the bus.
-USB Implementors' Forum, Inc.
The product page is light on details, but I'd be surprised if that logic wasn't there precisely to negotiate charge rate.
Well something's got to send the data to the NSA...
"Little does he know, but there is no 'I' in 'Idiot'!"
The moment I plugged it into my laptop, even before plugging the iPhone in, the laptop turned off. No damage. Being naturally curious I tried it again and it was repeatable.
Sounds like you are a scientist. Congratulations!