News New USB stick has a destruct feature that heats it to over 100 degrees Celsius — a secret three-insertion process needed to unlock data safely

[Admin]

The Ovrdrive USB flash drive uses a unique insertion mechanism to prevent unsavvy users from accessing its contents. It is poised as a cheap open-source product for researchers and journalists (especially in suppressed areas where regular encryption is illegal).

New USB stick has a destruct feature that heats it to over 100 degrees Celsius — a secret three-insertion process needed to unlock data safely : Read more

 

[pixelpusher220]

has a destruct feature that heats it to over 100 degrees Celsius

That's weird way to say "Used Lithium Ion battery"

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

However, it may not be hot enough to kill the flash chips, but users can always add a compound for it to self-destruct.

That totally won't get you imprisoned, or executed, in countries where encryption is illegal.

 

[PEnns]

Let's hope that when that self destruct moment arrives, a bunch of those USBs are not in somebody's pocket on an airplane....

 

[USAFRet]

"a self-destruct mechanism that heats the flash chip to over 100 degrees Celsius"

See....Items banned from aircraft.

 

[usertests]

That totally won't get you imprisoned, or executed, in countries where encryption is illegal.

As configured it simply hides the data from the attacker. You should just use encryption on top of that, and mix it in with working dummy flash drives.

I don't know if there's a scenario where you would want to both encrypt and ensure the fiery destruction of the contents. Maybe if you thought a shared key would leak, but somehow not the fact that you are using self-destructing drives.

 

[atomicWAR]

This has interesting implications for secure USB data storage.

(this message will self destruct in five seconds...que mission impossible music)

 

[rluker5]

As the proud owner of a 13900kf, I can say that 100c isn't anything special. That just means the numbers turn red.

That jump drive will be fine.

 

[Sleepy_Hollowed]

As the proud owner of a 13900kf, I can say that 100c isn't anything special. That just means the numbers turn red.

That jump drive will be fine.

I've not used the latest AMD chips, but as someone that has used 12th gen Intel, I have to agree, I did not know a desktop chip could get that hot when going all out of 100-105C.

 

[Dr3ams]

Oh...you definitely don't want that in your front pants pocket. 👀

 

[Findecanor]

Instead of physically self-destruct, how about scrambling the flash with random bits?

Alternatively, store the data encrypted with a very long key, and have that stored in flash encrypted with a short key that users use.
Then when you "self-destruct", scramble the large key.

Instead of malfunctioning, why not have two file systems in flash: one public honeypot and one encrypted that has to be enabled through the special procedure.
See "Plausibly deniable encryption".

 

[pixelpusher220]

"a self-destruct mechanism that heats the flash chip to over 100 degrees Celsius"

See....Items banned from aircraft.

Certainly in luggage anyway. As long as it's accessible/in cabin I guess they will just lump it in with all the other LI batteries running around.

 

[TerryLaze]

As the proud owner of a 13900kf, I can say that 100c isn't anything special. That just means the numbers turn red.

That jump drive will be fine.

I've not used the latest AMD chips, but as someone that has used 12th gen Intel, I have to agree, I did not know a desktop chip could get that hot when going all out of 100-105C.

Intel CPUs shut down at around 130 degrees so 100 is indeed not that hot when shut off is 30% above it.

Error and Thermal Protection Signals - 002 - ID:743844 | 13th Generation Intel® Core™ Processors

Thermal Trip: The processor protects itself from catastrophic overheating by use of an internal thermal sensor. This sensor is set well above the normal operating temperature to ensure that there are no false trips. The processor will stop all executions when the junction temperature exceeds approximately 130 °C. This is signaled to the system by the THRMTRIP# pin.

 

[leevi.lautanen02]

Let's hope that when that self destruct moment arrives, a bunch of those USBs are not in somebody's pocket on an airplane....

"a self-destruct mechanism that heats the flash chip to over 100 degrees Celsius"

See....Items banned from aircraft.

Oh...you definitely don't want that in your front pants pocket. 👀

Please people, read what youre talking about. There are no batteries on the stick and it has to be plugged in to heat up. And even if it does it would probably be impossible to even notice that it heats up. Possibly a weird smell at worst, 100C is not that much.

 

[USAFRet]

Please people, read what youre talking about. There are no batteries on the stick and it has to be plugged in to heat up. And even if it does it would probably be impossible to even notice that it heats up. Possibly a weird smell at worst, 100C is not that much.

Plugged in to the laptop they have on the fold out tray?

The FAA and other national entities are rabidly paranoid about explody things on aircraft.

Galaxy Note 7, for instance.

Something that is designed to self destruct won't go over well.

 

[leevi.lautanen02]

Plugged in to the laptop they have on the fold out tray?

The FAA and other national entities are rabidly paranoid about explody things on aircraft.

Galaxy Note 7, for instance.

Something that is designed to self destruct won't go over well.

I mean sure, aircraft would ban it just to be safe and that would be understandable. What im criticizing here is the people acting like its dangerous, especially when its not even plugged into anything. The note 7 was actually dangerous, malfunctioning lipo batteries are no joke. And honestly, its very possible that the laptop youre plugging this thing into already has chips/components running at 100C, and you dont even think about it.

 

[JJLee]

So basically from now on if you happen upon a memory stick that appears to be empty or broken you should insert it three times just to be safe. Not sure this will do much good to anybody.

 

[deano1987]

Any legitimate authority will strip down a device not just plug it in so this feature is useless.