The USB Kill Stick, Priced at $56, Is Designed To Destroy Laptops, PCs, TVs (zdnet.com)

There's a new USB Kill device in the market today which can destroy any device it touches. ZDNet reports: For just a few bucks, you can pick up a USB stick that destroys almost anything that it's plugged into. Laptops, PCs, televisions, photo booths -- you name it. Once a proof-of-concept, the pocket-sized USB stick now fits in any security tester's repertoire of tools and hacks, says the Hong Kong-based company that developed it. It works like this: when the USB Kill stick is plugged in, it rapidly charges its capacitors from the USB power supply, and then discharges -- all in a matter of seconds. On unprotected equipment, the device's makers say it will "instantly and permanently disable unprotected hardware." You might be forgiven for thinking, "Well, why exactly?" The lesson here is simple enough. If a device has an exposed USB port -- such as a copy machine or even an airline entertainment system -- it can be used and abused, not just by a hacker or malicious actor, but also electrical attacks.

Comments

So?

[Hizonner]

Whoopee. I can hit it with a hammer for free, or plug it into the power line for a couple of bucks.

Re:So?

[Spy Handler]

If you put a hammer inside a box marked "Newegg" and send it to someone, upon opening the box he will most like *not* use it to destroy his computer.

But if you do the same thing with a USB stick zapper, there's a pretty good chance that he will stick it in his computer and end up with a fried computer.

As the saying goes...

[Hognoxious]

If you have physical access to the device, you can beat the fucking shit out of it with a rock.

This is why we can't have nice things.

[jellomizer]

Because there is always some asshole who feels the need to break stuff.
These public USB Power ports were set up as a convenience for the public and the customers, so that Doctor can have his phone charged so he doesn't miss that life saving call. They are giving us free energy to power our mobile devices. The TVs to entertain us, while we are stuck waiting. But no there has to be some jerk who needs to find a way to break it. We can't have an infrastructure for new technology now, just because it can be broke.

Now this device is just for bad people to do bad things, there is no good in it. It isn't even good enough for properly destroying technology as for the most part it will probably just damage the USB interface card and not reliably break the rest of the system.