BadUSB Exploit - USB Security Fundamentally Broken

[carnageX]

Why the Security of USB Is Fundamentally Broken | Threat Level | WIRED

Kinda scary stuff; since a lot of USB devices have potential firmware to be rewritten (not just flash drives but mice, keyboards, phones, etc.), there's a lot of attack vectors here.

 

[PP Mguire]

The worst part is, since it apparently hasn't been around now that they have made it public it will now be a thing. Great.

 

[carnageX]

Apparently it's always been around - just nobody really dove down into the firmware level to see about any exploits. Although, I can almost guarantee how STUXNET was deployed in Iran by the US gov.

According to the article they found a couple exploits...but not sure if they're going to release either of them at the Black Hat convention. Hopefully something can be done about this...because it can potentially be really bad, especially if its silent on both the USB and PC side. USB infects the PC, PC infects every USB device with writable, unsigned firmware, possibly travels through the network if it can mutate itself into a worm form, and then the worm deploys the firmware exploiter...and continues on. Good way to get it started too would be to just give out free flash drives on the street trying to "promote a product" - could be a fake product even, and boom...infected since pretty much everybody takes free flash drives.

 

[PP Mguire]

Obviously it's been around. My point is, now it's made "known". Prepare your anus.

 

[Slacker]

"The capabilities of BadUSB closely resemble the mysterious badBIOS malware security consultant Dragos Ruiu said repeatedly infected his computers. Nine months after Ars reported security researchers were unable to independently reproduce his findings, that remains the case. Still, Nohl said BadUSB confirms that the badBIOS phenomena Ruiu described is technically feasible."

This thumbdrive hacks computers. “BadUSB” exploit makes devices turn “evil” | Ars Technica

 

[carnageX]

"The capabilities of BadUSB closely resemble the mysterious badBIOS malware security consultant Dragos Ruiu said repeatedly infected his computers. Nine months after Ars reported security researchers were unable to independently reproduce his findings, that remains the case. Still, Nohl said BadUSB confirms that the badBIOS phenomena Ruiu described is technically feasible."

This thumbdrive hacks computers. “BadUSB” exploit makes devices turn “evil” | Ars Technica

Pretty much was my first thought as well, that this exploit was really similar to BadBIOS.

 

[Slacker]

What concerns me is not the exploits. It may take time but they will be patched out and until then safeguarded against.

The mention of stuxnet again concerns me. the us tech sector is already sinking b/c of actions by the NSA. and M$ ruling today really changes things...


**edit b/c attached quotes by mistake

 

[carnageX]

What concerns me is not the exploits. It may take time but they will be patched out and until then safeguarded against.

Problem is, it will be up to the manufacturers mainly. Either PC manufacturers to somehow safeguard against this by putting some sort of logic with the USB controllers or with the actual USB chipset manufacturers for the exploitable firmwares to be start signing their firmware to help aid against this. That or some piece of hardware (like a USB hub) that can filter it out somehow.

The mention of stuxnet again concerns me. the us tech sector is already sinking b/c of actions by the NSA. and M$ ruling today really changes things...


**edit b/c attached quotes by mistake

What M$ ruling?

 

[Slacker]

they have no choice but to start being proactive... maybe I am zealous but any US tech mnfg will have to.

Problem is, it will be up to the manufacturers mainly. Either PC manufacturers to somehow safeguard against this by putting some sort of logic with the USB controllers or with the actual USB chipset manufacturers for the exploitable firmwares to be start signing their firmware to help aid against this. That or some piece of hardware (like a USB hub) that can filter it out somehow.



What M$ ruling?

Microsoft ordered to give US customer e-mails stored abroad | Ars Technica

Not so much the ruling but the implication that US owns all servers..

 

[PP Mguire]

"The capabilities of BadUSB closely resemble the mysterious badBIOS malware security consultant Dragos Ruiu said repeatedly infected his computers. Nine months after Ars reported security researchers were unable to independently reproduce his findings, that remains the case. Still, Nohl said BadUSB confirms that the badBIOS phenomena Ruiu described is technically feasible."

This thumbdrive hacks computers. “BadUSB” exploit makes devices turn “evil” | Ars Technica

Both are very possible with simple reverse engineering. The idea behind it is very doable, but the complication of how it needs to be done may ward script kiddies away but now that it's out it certainly won't stop some from trying. Unlike the badbios this is a very EASY way to steal a lot of information and easily get into hard to reach areas with some clever thinking.

Problem is, it will be up to the manufacturers mainly. Either PC manufacturers to somehow safeguard against this by putting some sort of logic with the USB controllers or with the actual USB chipset manufacturers for the exploitable firmwares to be start signing their firmware to help aid against this. That or some piece of hardware (like a USB hub) that can filter it out somehow.



What M$ ruling?

The problem with this is it could take months or even years before manufacturers figure out a way to safeguard this, then even longer to implement a solution. Even still, it would require us, the end users, to buy more stuff.