When HN users recommended it
6 HN users recommended this between 2017 and 2023, in 6 comments.
20072026
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
6 HN users recommended this between 2017 and 2023, in 6 comments.
Each tall tick is one HN user's first recommendation. A short tick is the same user again. Click a tick to jump to the comment.
These work too, and have a better case than a bare PCB:
https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-Charge-Block-Adaptor-SmartCh...
"How is the regular guy supposed to figure out if a USB device is OK or not? I guess the easy answer is to say "Don't use an unknown device" but I don't think this is practical especially in the case of a charger."
I use a "USB Condom". My current USB Condom is this one:
https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-Data-Blocker-Adaptor-SmartCh...
In fact, I sometimes even use it with my own, trusted, devices. For instance, I don't want my macbook itunes to know about my iphone so when I charge from my own laptop, I use the "condom".
I'm sure these exist for USB-C...
>> If I can set my phone to ignore all the data at the first hardware level, and it is a simple enough level that no attack is viable (that second one being a large "if"), then there is no large problem anymore.
> My old no-name Android phone (not USB C) has such an option, and searching around it seems to be a reasonably common feature, although not present on all devices.
I use one of these. The nice thing about the newer versions is that you can verify the impossibility of a data connection through easy physical inspection.
https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-3rd-Data-Blocker-Pack/dp/B00...
There are dongles that only let power through:
https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-3rd-Data-Blocker-Pack/dp/B00...
But it's a pain in the neck to always use them and difficult to enforce use in an enterprise setting.
> Many people, including many people on this site (and, yes, including myself) wouldn't think twice about plugging into an available port if they need a charge. Maybe I don't plug into an unlabeled port in some random location where it doesn't look like it belongs, but honestly I wouldn't think twice about charging at a designated area at a conference.
This is the solution to that problem:
https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-3rd-Data-Blocker-Pack/dp/B00...
https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-NA-USB-C-Data-Blocker/dp/B08...
https://www.amazon.com/PortaPow-Data-Blocker-USB-C-Converter...
Have been using around "USB condoms" to protect against this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T0DW3F8