Note this was announced back in 2019 but new is features such as geofencing, fact is now in mass production, and can potentially affect USB-C as well… it’s a potential nightmare.

The “OMG Cable” works exactly like a normal Lightning to USB cable and can log keystrokes from connected Mac keyboards, iPads, and iPhones, and then send this data to a bad actor who could be over a mile away. They work by creating a Wi-Fi hotspot that a hacker can connect to, and using a simple web app they can record keystrokes.

The cables contain a small implanted chip and are physically the same size as authentic cables, making it extremely difficult to identify a malicious cable. The implant itself apparently takes up around half of the length of a USB-C connector’s plastic shell, allowing the cable to continue to operate as normal.

So beware of those cheap 3rd party cables…

See https://www.macrumors.com/2021/09/02/lightning-cable-with-hidden-chip/

#technology #security #vulnerability #USB