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Chinese Electronic Cigarettes Have Malware Planted in the Charger

I have to wonder if the charger used a common component so lots of other chargers are also infected and maybe even devices that aren't chargers if it is generic enough. I think the old solution of drivers installed by application or OS is better than having devices that have the ability to install drivers directly.

Good news is that smoking is declining. 30 years ago, this would have been the perfect method of obtaining military secrets.
 
We found this same article at work a week ago…very interesting.

We have all USB Ports disabled for any external devices (outside Key and Mouse) so users can't attach anything. Instead, and Vap users have to either not charge or get a USB to standard power adapter and plug it in there...
 
Is this sorta the same issue as that BadUSB/malicious firmware issue? Interestingly enough I know a few pen testers now adays will drop a usb drive in a few random areas of a place they're trying to compromise with the awareness that curiosity tends to get users to plug it in and see what's on there. The end result is a backdoor/zombie app getting installed. One claimed it's a multi-part executable able to infect windows, linux, and Mac which I was curious about but didn't get into the details.
 
This is even more insidious. Most people know (or should know) that a USB drive *can* have malware on it but who thinks a simple 'charger' can be the bringer of malware?
 
BadUSB is similar but much worse. BadUSB was built around the fact that many USB devices have firmware that can be altered programmatically. A keyboard, mouse, flash drive, or anything else that gets plugged into an infected computer will become a source of future infections making a slow virus that can only be completely eradicated by replacing all hardware on site. Those USB login devices become truly scary because they could spread the infection around the world as users login at remote systems.

Charger only devices need the data pins pulled. But any USB device with data pins could get an unwanted passenger installed by the factory making the basic components. I expect that future operating systems will pause the install of any USB devices to permit a virus scan to make sure that the device isn't a malware vector so boot up and wake from sleep times will increase a lot.
 
Serves those silly vapists right. If you wanna smoke, smoke already. Keep that moldy steam away from me! :mad:
 
To me a "charger" must include a power source. This doesn't, its "just" a lead that plugs into a PC, with a little MalWare in the ciggy end so its really a "charging lead". Given that an E-Cig gets hot and therefore presumably consumes lots of power I would be wary about plugging that into any computing equipment I own, in case it fried it...
 
g4ugm said:
Given that an E-Cig gets hot and therefore presumably consumes lots of power I would be wary about plugging that into any computing equipment I own, in case it fried it...
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This does not follow, logically. If you were to plug the high demand E-Cig directly into the USB port for its power that could surely be a problem. However, plugging a low demand charger into the USB port to slowly charge the high capacity battery is not a large current draw.
 
smeezekitty said:
I always recharge my devices with a wall charger. USB ports are too valuable to use a generic charging ports.
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You must be lucky. My computer setup has 12 easily accessed USB ports within reach but the wall socket is behind the desk and requires me to activate my inner toddler to get to. Phone, camera, or MP3 player get USB charging. Don't do ecig charging; anything likely to trigger an asthma attack is not for me.
 
Stone said:
Isn't asthma smoke related as it pertains to ciggies? E-Cigs don't produce smoke -- they're pure NICOTINE (and water vapor) delivery systems.
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I don't like being in the same room as a humidifier. Forcing water vapor in would be worse. Adding nicotine to it won't help. Probably.
 
What the heck, why use a pesticide like nicotine? Why not use something really effective like, oh, say, parathion? It must be terrible to have insects in one's lungs.

Right now, my state law says that 12-year olds can purchase the e-cigs. Getting them started young, eh? Someone needs to be shot.
 
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