Researchers Infect iOS Devices With Malware Via Malicious Charger 201
Sparrowvsrevolution writes "At the upcoming Black Hat security conference in late July, three researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology plan to show off a proof-of-concept charger that they say can be used to invisibly install malware on a device running the latest version of Apple's iOS. A description of their talk posted to the conference website describes how they were able to install whatever malware they wished on an Apple device within a minute of the user plugging it into their malicious charger, which they're calling 'Mactans' after the scientific name of a Black Widow spider. The malware-loaded USB plug is built around an open-source single-board computer known as a BeagleBoard, sold by Texas Instruments for a retail price of around $45. The researchers have contacted Apple about their exploit but haven't heard back from the company and aren't sharing more details of their hack until they do."
"Researchers" (Score:1, Interesting)
Kill all the "Researchers".
Re:Physical Access (Score:4, Interesting)
Physical access to a device allows for far too many attack vectors to protect against. News at 11
I think the issue here is that 'plausible, easy-to-engineer, physical access allows a demonstrated attack against a device'.
Also, at an architectural level, having an idevice plugged in is much closer to having a network connection [theiphonewiki.com] to a computer than it is to having 'physical access'. It's a bit weirder than a pure USB network adapter; but it's essentially a chat, over TCP, with a remote computer, not total control over a USB MSC device or something of that flavor.
Inductive charging (Score:5, Interesting)
What amazes me is that inductive charging hasn't taken over. I was a skeptic, when I got my touchpad a couple years ago. The ability to just drop the pad on a dock without worrying too much about positioning/etc quickly sold me on the idea. Same thing with the veer I purchased as well. Just drop it on the dock and the magnets align it.
Now every-time I plug in the wifes ipad, or android phone I cringe. Small easily broken connectors are something that should be a last resort.
Oh, and the touchpad prompts the user before allowing communication on the USB port.
Re:Inductive charging (Score:5, Interesting)
Inductive charging is highly wasteful.
Dock based, inductive charging is ~85% efficient, due to being something like 5mm of separation between the coils, running at very high frequency, and being actively controlled. So, this isn't your granddaddy's wireless power fantasies.
The loses in the 50% efficient wall warts shipping on most android phones are a worse problem.
Re:Physical Access (Score:3, Interesting)