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Why you should buy official Apple products

Umito
Why you should buy official Apple products

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s worth buying an official product iPhone USB-C charging cables Apple or opt for more affordable third-party options, I have the only answer you’ll need. You should always buy Apple cables, especially if you’re the kind of target that hackers might prey on. The same goes for Android users. Stick to official accessories.

For what? Well, electronic devices are so small these days that hackers can insert a malicious computer into a USB-C chip, without anyone knowing.

The very small electronic device could allow that computer to connect to the web via its own Wi-Fi antenna, spy on the target, and essentially control their computer. The attacker would essentially gain perpetual control. Or at least until the target starts investigating.

Lumafield’s Jon Bruner released high-quality CT scans on of one of those potentially rogue USB-C cables that iPhone owners might use, showing off the extra electronics that turn it into a tiny computer.

As you will see, the components are so small that the size and shape of the USB-C cable do not change. You would have no way of knowing that you are looking at a hacker’s tool by simply inspecting it visually.

Lumafield offers CT solutions to businesses. So it was easy for Bruner to scan the cable. The cable he chose is O.MG cable from researcher Mike Grover, who creates these cables for security purposes. But hackers in general, especially those with state-funded resources, could develop similar USB-C cables intended to spy on their targets.

Bruner’s X-wire 3D scanners show you how incredibly small the computer is inside the O.MG USB-C cable. It’s still a regular USB-C (Thunderbolt) cable that works like a USB-C cable. It can charge iPhone and other devices and transfer data at high speeds.

Unlike a traditional USB-C cable, the O.MG device has a Wi-Fi antenna and multiple chips stacked on top of each other to give the USB-C cable the brains it would need for malicious activity .

For example, the cable may contain a keylogger that records everything that is typed on a device. It could also deploy additional malware after connecting to a command structure via Wi-Fi. Likewise, it could extract all kinds of data and give the hacker full access to your computer.

Interestingly, the O.MG cable also has a kill switch, meaning it will only behave maliciously when asked to do so.

Are you still afraid? Think about all those cables you could have used in public places? Or the ports of cafes, train stations and airports? I know I did when I saw the scans and video Bruner produced. This immediately made me reconsider my accessory purchasing priorities.

The only way to know for sure that your cables are safe is to purchase original products designed for your smartphone or laptop. Do you have an iPhone? Use the cable that came in the box or purchase another from Apple. The same goes for your MacBook and iPad. If you’re shopping for Galaxy or Pixel phones, look for accessories from Samsung and Google.

Along the same lines, you may want to get a battery to charge your gear on the go to avoid public ports.

Then again, it’s not like all of the places above have loading options that contain tiny computers that will steal some of your data. But you can’t know for sure. An alternative is to perform CT scans for every cable you use, but this is virtually impossible in real life. Additionally, 2D scans won’t be enough to detect these tiny chips inside malicious cables.

Another option is to purchase accessories that detect potentially malicious activity inside a suspicious cable. Grover offers solutions for those interested in rogue cable detectors on this link. Be sure to check out Bruner’s video below for more details on this scary USB-C cable menace: