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Re: [OM] More on: Why the Security of USB Is Fundamentally Broken

Subject: Re: [OM] More on: Why the Security of USB Is Fundamentally Broken
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 12:35:24 -0700
On 10/7/2014 8:40 AM, Daniel Sepke wrote:
In my view I think we need to wait and see if there are actually any documented 
exploits, outside of international governmental espionage, that actually affect 
devices and what ones. It seems that while the problem that has been discovered 
is potentially very wide reaching there is little chance that anyone is 
actively using this particular vector effectively yet. The technical skill to 
break into the actual code in the firmware appears to be very high and 
different for each one.

I'm a bit bemused by all this. As others have noted, the bios on my computers allows me to choose both which devices may be booted from and in what order. I'm sure that I have never had a computer of mine boot from USB.

I've been trying to remember for sure. It seems that I've almost never connected a USB device that I didn't buy new. The only exceptions I can think of are a couple of used film scanners.

For many of us, certainly not all, this is probably not a meaningful danger. Knowing that it exists is useful, but hardly something to lose sleep over.

What is not clear to me, for people in situations like Candace (Nice to hear from you!) is whether simply plugging a USB device in is a real threat - and I'm too lazy to read/view all the material to which links were posted.

You Should Be Moose

--
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
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