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Ask HN: Would HN be interested in an adapter, that can prevent BadUSB-attacks?
Let me first give some context:
I am part of a group of 'highschool' students (actually the equivalent of this in Germany) and we are currently searching for ideas for a startup-project, in where we are founding our own little company and try to bring it to some success. Our seed capital is 1000€ gathered through selling shares.
Due to the recent concerns about the abuse of USB devices as attack vector, we were thinking about creating an adapter, which let's you configure, which kind of devices are allowed to connect to it. We only have limited time, so I just skimmed the complexity of the project and we came to the conclusion, that we could do it, though we maybe are maybe only looking at the interfaces and, based on time, money and complexity, not lookup the exact HID-device through usage tables. It will have a small program/driver for atleast Windows and Linux to control as what the device is allowed to connect (multiple inputs possible) and an 'admin mode', so users will only allowed to use certain devices. Maybe we would also add a small button, so you can select it manually on the device.
This device might never happen, because only a few ideas will at the end be selected (we also need people who understand stuff like his), but any opinions or tips (like manufactures, suiting microchips, if we would be able to do it etc) are always appreciated.
Of course, it's a rather big project for on year, and we might be too incompetent, but hope dies last :)
- jloughry 12y agoThis could have applications outside the narrow use case you've outlined. I encourage you to think about security in both directions: (1) protecting storage devices from computers, and (2) protecting computers from storage devices. This sounds to me like a product that I'd like to have built in to computers in sensitive locations, where I'm worried about users bringing in uncontrolled USB devices from home. Contrariwise, when I'm travelling, I don't trust any computer I don't own, so I'm loath to insert my personally owned USB device into it: in that case, I need your exact product.
- jpidea 12y agoGood Idea. For 1) I could use a small switch and for 2) then this driver?
- gburt 12y agoIs that what this is? http://int3.cc/products/usbcondoms http://int3.cc/products/usbcondoms
- sharth 12y agoThe USB Condom basically cuts the data ports to the endpoint device. So the host (or device) can't communicate at all. They seem to be talking about making a device / application that causes a USB port to only talk to keyboards for example (or perhaps they'll get further in and that will become only HID devices).
- stevekemp 12y agoYou could look a look at some related discussion which happened recently: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8216068 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8216068
- rahimnathwani 12y agoPlease re-read the comment text (which is clearer than the title). That discussion was about protecting the USB device, by preventing data flow. This thread is about something different: protecting the USB host, by restricting which types of devices can be used (including ones which use the data pins).
- The_ZaZ_Man 12y agoi like this. this would be great for a small company with little to no background check ups on employees.