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The reality of modern tech
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this post was submitted on 18 May 2024
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I think i read somewhere that the cia said they dont install bugs anymore because now ppl do that themselfs.
Yeah, I've read a bunch of articles over the last few years about how a lot of law enforcement agencies are finding that instead of getting a warrant and doing a bunch of surveillance they can just buy people's private data from a data broker and get more info than they would have been able, or allowed, to gather if they'd gotten the warrant.
It's also a lot easier to do it in software, since you don't need to splice wires and leave physical traces like you would have had to do in the day.
A well-configured charger or Flash drive can do that job for you, and can spread itself.
USB charger ?
Yes, since most modern chargers and cables have internal chips to communicate capabilities with for things like fast-charging. It is not difficult to have the chip identify itself as something else, and execute a payload.
A common attack method is to have it show up as a keyboard, and execute a series of key-sequences when connected to a computer (like opening and executing things through a command prompt).
It is also why you should try and avoid plugging random USB cables/chargers into your phone/computer when out and about, since you don't exactly know if the other end is what it appears to be.
I don't know enough about the charger thing to comment on how viable that might be for an attack vector.
But you're definitely right about plugging your mobile device into random ports. Either set your phone to by default only charge and not communicate, use a charge-only cable, or only use your own power bank/charger when away from home and you don't fully trust where you are...
So I’m pretty averse to getting new apps and giving them location permissions.
Just cause of this comment I went it and looked at the location permissions, holy shit so many apps had it that shouldn’t have. Like Apple home… wtf does it need location for, it uses wifi…