Rubber Ducky

[ukracer]

I don't inow how true it is but it would not surprise me if it was.

If you see a USB drive with this logo, don’t plug it into your PC

This USB drive will wreck your world.

www.makeuseof.com

 

[ukracer]

Looks genuine https://www.twenty-four.it/insights/usb-rubber-ducky/

 

[Rob-J]

There are (or there were, least ways) USB Drives that look exactly like that (I have one), but without the logo. But, that's the point; anyone that knows about or has heard about the Rubber Ducky, would know not to trust it, as a USB Drive, because it's not a USB Drive. But my guess is that peeps that are not into this kind of tech, will not of heard about it (it's not new, btw; I've had one of the better part of a decade).

On a genuine USB Drive, there's a red LED that shines through that small hole at the back. The Rubber Ducky has no such LED so they can be identified in that way. Not that it will do you much good, if you've already been affected by it.

The Rubber Ducky can be harmless, it just depends on how the operator has programmed it. What I did with mine, as a demo to a friend who was skeptical, was to have it simply open his Notebook App and then auto-type "You've been hacked!!". He was shocked, I have to say.

Edit to add: If you're interested to see inside, I've added a couple more shots.

The RD is on the left. Notice the MicroSD card slot. The SD Card is used to hold the script that the device will run, once it's been activated.

I've also included a shot of the genuine USB Drive, de-cased and in use, so that you can clearly see the LED.

The pics are out of sequence now, but I'm sure you get the idea.

 

[cheb]

If you are daft enough to plug an unknown USB into your computer then you deserve all you get.

 

[Migmac]

I’ve no idea about or IT, my work laptop I can do the basics on. I do know that the laptop is programmed not to allow any external devices to work when plugged into it. Would the likes of this rubbery ducky thingy still do its business in my laptop?

 

[Robotstar5]

I’ve no idea about or IT, my work laptop I can do the basics on. I do know that the laptop is programmed not to allow any external devices to work when plugged into it. Would the likes of this rubbery ducky thingy still do its business in my laptop?

We had a variation of that at one place I worked, an unknown USB drive wouldn't work until you'd taken it to the IT guy who would check it and register on the works system, I think using the MAC address.

 

[Rob-J]

Maybe, the first thing to be clear on is the terminology:
A computer system is comprised of hardware and software. The "Operating System" that must run on every computer, is "Software", as are any and all applications (Apps) that you run on your system. You'll also hear the term "Malware", which is Malicious Software. Software that has been developed for a computer that is controlled by a Microsoft OS will not work on, say, an Apple system. So, when people talk about a computer virus, they are technically (and for the most part) talking about malicious software that runs on a computer that is controlled by a Microsoft OS.

The RD (which is what kicked off this thread) and anything else that is connected to a computer is an extension of the hardware. So, to answer the question that @Migmac asked: if you have to allow new hardware to be recognised before the system will fully connect with it (which is the smart thing to do), then denying that connection means that the RD would simply not be able to do anything. Also, if the RD is setup to perform an action on a computer that is controlled by a Microsoft OS, it will not be able to do the same thing on a Apple system, for example {Note: it may very well be possible to have the RD configered to detect what OS is being used and then perform the appropriate actions, but that's a little out of my particular zone of knowledge}.

 

[Rob-J]

@Robotstar5 USB devices don't have a MAC Address. Even if they did, it's still not a good way to allow a connection, as a MAC Address can be faked, so allowing a device based on that, would mean that any device with said MAC Address would be allowed, regardless of its intent.

 

[Robotstar5]

@Robotstar5 USB devices don't have a MAC Address. Even if they did, it's still not a good way to allow a connection, as a MAC Address can be faked, so allowing a device based on that, would mean that any device with said MAC Address would be allowed, regardless of its intent.

What would he use to register them on the works system?

 

[Craig-SM]

You need to be a special kind of idiot to plug in a random USB stick, especially one you found laying on the ground. I can't remember the last time I actually used a USB stick anyway in the days of cloud storage and file sharing such as Airdrop.

 

[Rob-J]

What would he use to register them on the works system?

If I were a System Admin, I would allow only on a case-by-case basis. For a computer that's on a corporate network, the Admin would have complete control of all the hardware and be able to grant (or deny) permissions as and when requested; it's always going to be a risk, so the default position should be to deny all, unless there's a very compelling reason to do otherwise.

 

[Nomad]

Educational thread, thanks.

 

[Rob-J]

You need to be a special kind of idiot to plug in a random USB stick, especially one you found laying on the ground. I can't remember the last time I actually used a USB stick anyway in the days of cloud storage and file sharing such as Airdrop.

Remember: it's not JUST USB drives that can be malicious. If someone want's to compromise a system, he may just say, "Hey, do you mind if a charge this devise via your USB port, please?". You've no way of knowing what that device is going to do, once it's been connected.

 

[Smallfry]

I am one of the stupid kind of idiots that would do this. Completely not tech savvy and unaware of this, so thanks for the heads up.

Critics have to acknowledge that there was a time when even they did not know everything !

So, this Micro SD slot and card ...... is it visible from the outside, or completely concealed by the casing ?

 

[Craig-SM]

"Hey, do you mind if a charge this devise via your USB port, please?".

Yes, I do mind. There is a charger over there.

 

[Rob-J]

I am one of the stupid kind of idiots that would do this. Completely not tech savvy and unaware of this, so thanks for the heads up.

Critics have to acknowledge that there was a time when even they did not know everything !

So, this Micro SD slot and card ...... is it visible from the outside, or completely concealed by the casing ?

It's completely concealed: the Pic at the bottom of the stack that a posted could be either the USB Drive or the RD device. It's not possible to say which, by simply looking at it; they are identical.

You're not "stupid". I know of people that are very tech savvy, but have been caught in a moment of weakness; it can happen to anyone.

 

[knighty]

I've known about these for years too, used to have one just to play with, no idea where it is now

also, if I found a random usb stick laying around I'd defiantly plug it in to see what's on it.... it's not like there's a hacker waiting in every bush throwing usb sticks around trying to trick people


(ok... different story if you work at a bank etc...)

 

[Rob-J]

... if I found a random usb stick laying around I'd defiantly plug it in to see what's on it....

Yes, it is possible to 'sandbox' a system, so that anything malicious is contained; again, a smart thing to do, if you're unsure about what may happen.

 

[MattF]

Yes, I do mind. There is a charger over there.

That's awfully polite. Whatever happened to a simple: F' off?

 

[Rob-J]

That's awfully polite. Whatever happened to a simple: F' off?

We can always trust a Yorkshire Man to be direct and to the point!