5 ms·

The original Russian report is typically fractured by Google Translate: http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%

The original Russian report is typically fractured by Google Translate: http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rosbalt.ru%2Fpiter%2F2013%2F10%2F22%2F1190990.html http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=n&prev=... I think this is something where shipments specifically headed to Russia were targeted. But that's not to say it can't pop up elsewhere. [typo edit]

pavel_lishin 13y ago
I'm having a hard time believing that they detected some of the microchips by comparing the listed shipment weights with the actual shipment weights.
- TrainedMonkey 13y ago
  Let us imagine a hypothetical scenario. Two identical shipments are weighted at the same scale during customs. One of them is consistently 0.05% heavier than expected. Then you notice same pattern with a few more shipments. An inquiring mind might wanna open a few boxes and see what is up. *Typoed
  - mikecane 13y ago
    Weight is likely taken very seriously by any Customs department due to drug smuggling. And these days, much more malevolent items.
    - cgore 13y ago
      Another good reason for irons, they are a bit heftier than a lot of other small goods, giving less variance from the weight of a small chip.
gcb0 13y ago
Why irons though? i remember a classic demo at one conference where they used a PSU. It had some advantages: 99% certain it will be used near a computer. USB and Ethernet ports for "power surge protection" that can add attack vectors. the only reason i can think of for irons is either lack of other opportunities, or trying to be as inconspicuous as possible (tech savy people are more prone to opening a PSU than an iron)
- pbhjpbhj 13y ago
  >* remember a classic demo at one conference where they used a PSU.* // Wifi from inside a grounded PSU casing inside a (possibly metal) PC casing doesn't sound like something that's going to work very well?
  - gcb0 13y ago
    all UPSs i had were plastic cases. ah, sorry... i wrote PSU... my bad. not a PSU, but one of those UPS, or no-break. more specifically the APC ones that are cheap and have USB data port and Ethernet/modem filtering.
- marcosvpj 13y ago
  Well, who wound think that the iron are sending spam?

pavel_lishin 13y ago

I'm having a hard time believing that they detected some of the microchips by comparing the listed shipment weights with the actual shipment weights.

TrainedMonkey 13y ago
Let us imagine a hypothetical scenario. Two identical shipments are weighted at the same scale during customs. One of them is consistently 0.05% heavier than expected. Then you notice same pattern with a few more shipments. An inquiring mind might wanna open a few boxes and see what is up. *Typoed
- mikecane 13y ago
  Weight is likely taken very seriously by any Customs department due to drug smuggling. And these days, much more malevolent items.
  - cgore 13y ago
    Another good reason for irons, they are a bit heftier than a lot of other small goods, giving less variance from the weight of a small chip.

gcb0 13y ago

Why irons though? i remember a classic demo at one conference where they used a PSU. It had some advantages: 99% certain it will be used near a computer. USB and Ethernet ports for "power surge protection" that can add attack vectors. the only reason i can think of for irons is either lack of other opportunities, or trying to be as inconspicuous as possible (tech savy people are more prone to opening a PSU than an iron)

pbhjpbhj 13y ago
>* remember a classic demo at one conference where they used a PSU.* // Wifi from inside a grounded PSU casing inside a (possibly metal) PC casing doesn't sound like something that's going to work very well?
- gcb0 13y ago
  all UPSs i had were plastic cases. ah, sorry... i wrote PSU... my bad. not a PSU, but one of those UPS, or no-break. more specifically the APC ones that are cheap and have USB data port and Ethernet/modem filtering.
marcosvpj 13y ago
Well, who wound think that the iron are sending spam?