【】
While the world's eyes watch Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un meet in Singapore, journalists have seemingly been treated rather well while covering the event.
But caution has been advised over one tiny freebie.
Not only have the 3,000 journalists been well-fed during the summit, they've also received a goody bag. Inside the bag there's a bottle of water, a handheld fan featuring Jong-Un's face, and a Sentosa guidebook. Pretty standard.
SEE ALSO:6 VPNs that can help you break through China's 'Great Firewall'However, also enclosed was a blue, innocent-looking mini USB fan, a nod to Singapore's searing temperatures. Not so hot about it was the information security community.
Tweet may have been deleted
"Do not plug this in. Do not keep it," tweeted journalist Barton Gellman, who led coverage on the U.S. National Security Agency after receiving top secret documents from Edward Snowden.
The risk is the device could be a covert method of installing malware onto the computers of journalists covering the summit.
Tweet may have been deleted
Twitter was abound with messages imploring journalists to not use the fan.
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
Tweet may have been deleted
"It certainly can be a security risk," Matthew Warren, professor of cyber security at Australia's Deakin University, explained to Mashable.
"The idea of the USB is a way of connecting devices to computers, and either exchanging data or drawing power for operations. The problem is, there's been a number of examples where USB devices can be hijacked and malicious code can be put on them."
"There's been a number of examples where USB devices can be hijacked and malicious code can be put on them."
Security researchers Karsten Nohl and Jakob Lell demonstrated malware they had developed, called BadUSB, at the Black Hat Conference back in 2014.
The malware is installed in the firmware of the USB drive, and not in its flash memory storage, which makes it undetectable. It also means other USB peripherals, like fans, can also be used to covertly carry attack code.
Once plugged in, the malware can "completely take over a PC, invisibly alter files installed from the memory stick, or even redirect the user's internet traffic," WIREDnoted at the time.
"Security hasn't been built in to these USB devices," Warren added. "I certainly wouldn't be putting [the fan] in my machine."
Of course, it could be very well and true that the USB fan isjust a USB fan. We'll just have to see about that.
Featured Video For You
Future of the internet could depend on submarine datacenters
TopicsCybersecurityDonald Trump
相关文章
Xiaomi accused of copying again, this time by Jawbone
Imitation is not always the best form of flattery.。 SEE ALSO:Xiaomi's MacBook Air clone is called, w2024-09-20- If driverless vehicles are gonna take over the world, it should feel about as natural as taking an e2024-09-20
How Trump changed America while distracting us on Twitter
Twelve months after Trump was elected president, one thing is clear: the 140-character whims of the2024-09-20Pollution in New Delhi is so bad it's a health emergency
Pollution in India's capital is at obscenely dangerous levels.Last year, smog in New Delhi covered t2024-09-20Olympian celebrates by ordering an intimidating amount of McDonald's
It's no secret that Olympians have to eat clean for years to ensure they're at peak physical conditi2024-09-20Reddit bans board where men posted misogynistic content and even advocated rape
Reddit's crackdown on violent content continues with the ban of a board called "Involuntary Celibate2024-09-20
最新评论