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> * If you use a rental car, Factory Reset the head unit when you leave. If I rent a car, I won't pair my phone at all, even going so far as to use a car charg

by gav 3y ago

> * If you use a rental car, Factory Reset the head unit when you leave. If I rent a car, I won't pair my phone at all, even going so far as to use a car charger instead of the provided USB ports.

rsync 3y ago
Agreed, although I use a “usb condom” for convenience…
- giantg2 3y ago
  What's the technical term for those? (I'm afraid to search for that at work haha)
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    You can find them with the term "USB data blocker". You might have to add "dongle" onto that.
  - x86x87 3y ago
    Usb power-only or charge only cable. You can create one by severing the data lines in a normal usb cable
dylan604 3y ago
most car USB ports are slow charging. my little power port convert provides fast charging. so not only do i get the extra speed, but the assurance that the USB isn't nefarious. which admittedly is probably a bit paranoid, but what if i'm not?! i didn't even like having my phone data sunk to a my own personal car. it just made no logical sense on why that would be useful, so being me, i just assumed it was for nefarious purposes. people no longer get the benefit of the doubt of being lazy/incompetent. i immediately jump to the situation essentially being an attack vector.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  > most car USB ports are slow charging TBH, in this day and age where it's difficult to replace batteries when they wear out, I strongly prefer slow-charging over fast-charging. Fast-charging wears out the batteries more quickly.
quantified 3y ago
Same. I imagine the risk of malicious USB ports is higher around military and aerospace rental hubs, like Colorado Springs and Huntsville, Alabama.
- lrvick 3y ago
  It is exactly because people like younger me exist in this world, that I operate under the assumption that all hardware that I have not personally maintained custody of is tampered with regardless of location.
Symbiote 3y ago
I recently rented a car, and the built-in navigation wasn't enabled. The assumption seemed to be that you'd connect your phone. Driving in the country was fine with just audio navigation, but I had to connect my phone to get the display once I was driving in a big city. "Take the freeway exit" "Use the right lane" "Use the left lane" was coming too quick if I relied only on the audio.

by gav 3y ago

> * If you use a rental car, Factory Reset the head unit when you leave. If I rent a car, I won't pair my phone at all, even going so far as to use a car charger instead of the provided USB ports.

rsync 3y ago

Agreed, although I use a “usb condom” for convenience…

giantg2 3y ago
What's the technical term for those? (I'm afraid to search for that at work haha)
- JohnFen 3y ago
  You can find them with the term "USB data blocker". You might have to add "dongle" onto that.
- x86x87 3y ago
  Usb power-only or charge only cable. You can create one by severing the data lines in a normal usb cable

dylan604 3y ago

most car USB ports are slow charging. my little power port convert provides fast charging. so not only do i get the extra speed, but the assurance that the USB isn't nefarious. which admittedly is probably a bit paranoid, but what if i'm not?! i didn't even like having my phone data sunk to a my own personal car. it just made no logical sense on why that would be useful, so being me, i just assumed it was for nefarious purposes. people no longer get the benefit of the doubt of being lazy/incompetent. i immediately jump to the situation essentially being an attack vector.

JohnFen 3y ago
> most car USB ports are slow charging TBH, in this day and age where it's difficult to replace batteries when they wear out, I strongly prefer slow-charging over fast-charging. Fast-charging wears out the batteries more quickly.

quantified 3y ago

Same. I imagine the risk of malicious USB ports is higher around military and aerospace rental hubs, like Colorado Springs and Huntsville, Alabama.

lrvick 3y ago
It is exactly because people like younger me exist in this world, that I operate under the assumption that all hardware that I have not personally maintained custody of is tampered with regardless of location.

Symbiote 3y ago

I recently rented a car, and the built-in navigation wasn't enabled. The assumption seemed to be that you'd connect your phone. Driving in the country was fine with just audio navigation, but I had to connect my phone to get the display once I was driving in a big city. "Take the freeway exit" "Use the right lane" "Use the left lane" was coming too quick if I relied only on the audio.