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That Laptop-Bricking USB Stick Just Got Even More Dangerous (zdnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the gadgets-destroyer dept.

From a report on ZDNet: Remember that USB stick that would destroy almost anything in its path, from laptops, photo booths, kiosks, to even cars? The makers of the USB Kill stick have created a more powerful version with a higher voltage and amp output, and a three-times faster pulse rate of up to 12 times a second. And, with microUSB, USB-C, and Lightning adapters, the USB Kill claims to be able to kill iPhones, iPads, and other devices, like phones, tablets, and digital cameras. The company says it's "designed to test the surge protection circuitry of electronics to their limits." In other words, its purpose is destroying expensive kit.

2 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Can't speak for the new one by Victa · · Score: 3, Interesting

    As someone who worked Admin/Support in a K-12 school long enough to see kids come in one end and leave at the other, I can say that a good portion of people in this age group simply like breaking shit (that does not belong to them).

    They get a kick out of knowing that SOMEONE is going to be inconvenienced by it, either the next user or the support guys who have to try and fix it.

    For example; Switching to optical mice saved us a good 30 mins a day in replacing mouse balls, we would usually find the balls with the rubber peeled off them sitting on the desk next to the mouse... The switch to small form factor PCs with laptop style optical drives saved us hours a week fixing the little drive belts that open and close the tray (which can be flipped off in seconds with a paperclip)... but also provided us several chances a week to try and explain to the warranty people how the lens in the drive got covered in permanent texta (this destroys them BTW)...

    Additionally, a handful of these sticks dropped around a school would result in many, many broken computers by the end of the day... "Hey Jimmy, this USB stick I found in the playground doesn't work in this PC, try it in yours..."

    If only we had been allowed to install the taser mice I suggested life would have been much more fun (for us)... :P

    Cheers.

  2. Re:etherkiller by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

    Yeah, the initial reaction to something like this is something like "CRAP! I don't want things like this out there, my gear might get destroyed!"

    But then you realize there are legitimate uses for stuff like this, like destroying police computers.

    It's actually kind of tempting to start building USB killers and start dropping them in police parking lots, just to see how much good you can do.