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In a post-Stuxnet world, can we trust flash drives? If I remember correctly, that virus would jump onto flash drives to spread to the next few computers it tou
by jonlucc 13y ago
In a post-Stuxnet world, can we trust flash drives? If I remember correctly, that virus would jump onto flash drives to spread to the next few computers it touched. I think I might prefer an ethernet wire connection without the outgoing wires.
- dublinben 13y agoAs long as you wipe and format the flash drive from the secure computer every time you use it, there shouldn't be any risk. I don't think even Stuxnet could have infected a linux machine that didn't mount or autorun the partition.
- sneak 13y agoFlash drives are not dumb. I know that Travis Goodspeed has had some success in reflashing their microcontrollers to speak corrupt USB to attack USB stacks of host machines (which of course run in kernel mode).
- dublinben 13y agoI guess the only safe options are CDRs and one-way ethernet connections.
- lesterbuck 13y agoA fascinating talk by Travis Goodspeed on the mayhem possible by reprogramming the USB controller in a disk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Im0_KUEf8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Im0_KUEf8 Writing a Thumbdrive from Scratch: Prototyping Active Disk Anti-Forensics
- jonknee 13y agoStuxnet was bespoke malware with multiple 0days--the reason it worked like it did was because of how the target's computers were set up. If Iran had used Linux they would have likely used different vulnerabilities to [try and] accomplish the same goal.
- sneak 13y agoNot at all. The microcontrollers on flash drives can be reflashed to do all manner of mean stuff to any host it's plugged in to.
- sneak 13y agoModern ethernet ports will not link over one pair. It breaks autonegotiation. I'd sooner use a wifi card in monitor-only mode, patching the driver to disable all transmit ability.
- pilom 13y agoYou can't do it with Ethernet over copper but you can with fiber.