A world-renowned hacker has revealed why you shouldn’t use it iPhone charger that you didn’t buy yourself, because it may allow people to steal your data.
Ryan Montgomery is a cybersecurity expert employed by businesses and organizations to assess their digital systems for vulnerability.
He was he was ranked number one on the popular cybersecurity training website TryHackMe for his skills.
Montgomery explained how the iPhone’s smart camera can damage your computer or phone.
This is because the hidden cable has a hidden plug with a web server, USB connection and Wi-Fi access, allowing scan keys, steal information, extract data and plant malware.
This fraudulent device, called ‘O.MG cable,’ was first publicly available in 2019 when it was sold for just $180.
In the video posted on him Instagramplugged what looked like an ordinary charger into the ‘new’ computer. “This is a fully functional cable, you can charge the phone with it,” he said.
But ‘With this cable attached, I can use the computer fully,’ he explained.
Without even connecting his iPhone to the other end of the cable, he he gained access to the computer by pressing one button on his phone.
World-renowned ‘moral’ hacker Ryan Montgomery has revealed why you should never use an iPhone charger you didn’t buy yourself, as it could allow people to hack your data.
The O.MG cable looks and acts like a regular Apple recorder, but it has a wireless connection that can be accessed by a nearby hacker.
It is designed to allow your Red Team to mimic the attacks of advanced enemies. Until now, a cable like this would cost $20,000,’ Mr Hak5, who sells the device, said on his website.
The ‘Red Team’ is a group of cyber security experts who emulate real life hacks.
The cable’s developer, security researcher Mike Grover, said: “It’s a cable that looks a lot like other cables you already have.
‘But inside each cable, I put a plug that has a web server, a USB connection, and Wi-Fi access. So it connects, it strengthens, and you can relate to it.’
He said that the cable would allow him to use the device from a distance of 300 meters, and if he configured the cable ‘to act as a client to a local wireless network,’ the distance would be unlimited.
There’s no way to tell if you’ve come across one of these scams, and there’s no way to know when you’re being attacked.
Therefore, the O.MG cable has been called the ‘most dangerous USB cable’ in the world.
Worryingly, the potential of the O.MG line is increasing.
Grover said Forbes that the ‘Elite series’ which has just been released in 2023, comes in several forms, including USB-A Cables, USB-C Cables, USB-A to -C Adapters and surprisingly, USB Data Blockers – so even these protective devices can. be jealous in secret.
And the upgrades included in the latest series are those that add data leakage — or the ability to steal information — to hidden cable features.
Although the O.MG cable can be easily accessed and used by someone with malicious intent, it was designed for professional hackers like Montgomery who scan data for vulnerabilities.
Because of this, Grover has created cables and other safety nets, such as helping the Red Team to block the cable’s path to a certain location.
When this is activated, taking it out of the circuit will cause it to stop working or self-destruct.
In addition, Grover designed the cables to avoid connecting and charging when you have the device, which reduces the undetectable screen when connected to a smartphone.
But it seems that some malicious hackers have already got their hands on the O.MG cable. In 2023, the FBI said: ‘Criminals have found ways to use people’s USB ports to introduce malware and control software onto devices.’
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also issued a warning about ‘juice hacking,’ when hackers use USB charging devices like those found in airports or hotel lobby to steal your data.
But in this case, it’s not the cable that is interfering with your device, but the power socket itself. Although this has been scientifically proven, cybersecurity experts say the risk to people is nominal.
The O.MG thread, however, is much more dangerous. Therefore, experts advised not to use any charger that you did not buy yourself, as it may be tampered with.
