cords
Have you ever borrowed a charger cable? You may want to think about it the next time your iPhone is on 10%.
Hacker Summer Camp
Last week in Las Vegas, Black Hat 2019 took place. This conference brings tech giants, programmers, security professionals and more together to share ideas and innovation in the field.
Throughout the conference, expos and panels are happening so that researchers can share their work and bring awareness to the need for cyber security.
One researcher that caught the attention of many goes by the name MG. This researcher crafted a malicious tool of attack, and made it look completely harmless.
Further, he made seemingly normal looking Apple Lightning cords into a vessel of attack for hackers.
How do the fake lightning cords work?
To begin, let’s break down how the O.MG lighting cords have the ability to attack your devices.
The cable has the exact appearance of your normal iPhone charger. Within the build, the cord houses a wireless implant that gives the attacker the ability to access the computer it is plugged into.
Continuing, the implant gives remote access up to 300 feet away. If the cord is plugged in and active, the computer will read the USB as an input field. This is what gets the malicious software into the device.
Next, the software, once installed, gives the attacker the ability to execute commands and then erase the digital trail of evidence in the device.
Finally, the attacker then has the ability to control the computer and proceed to steal information, encrypt data or anything else.
Looking Forward
Now, luckily, this is just a prototype. Also, it was created by someone in the cyber security field. Further, the O.MG cord shines a light on the many vulnerabilities that exist in this technological world.
In short, this can also serve as a reminder to be cautious about borrowing / using charging cables that are not your own.
Airports, libraries and other public spaces provide charging stations for their patrons. These stand present easy targets to attackers who can easily manipulate the cord to infect your device.
So, make sure you phone is charged up, bring a battery pack or your own charger!
By Taylor Ritchey
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