Technological advancements and growth is something that continues to intrigue many people. Technological industries are taking steps, developing new technologies and launching others. However, with improved technologies, security and confidentiality of information placed and used through the technologies also require improvements and advancements as well. This is aimed at ensuring your privacy as an individual is not violated against and that date stored on your devices is not accessed without your consent. However, with vaping, hackers have made it easier and faster to violate and access unauthorized information making it not so secure.
Vaping: Is It Bad?
Vaping is not bad. However, it has been demonstrated and seen that it can be used to gain unauthorized access to a computer or any technological device. Vaping has become dangerous and can damage you with a few adjustments and realignments. The vaping devices such as a pen can now be used to enter codes and pass them to your computer overriding it and accessing confidential information.
USB Ports
These have made it easier to operate a computer while communicating with an external device connected through a USB port. It has been researched and said that security hacks are mostly as a result of a device that was connected to the machine via a USB port. This is mostly due to its dual usage i.e. can be used for charging your device and can also be used for transferring data or information. Devices such as vaping pens only require the connection for charging and if loaded with a hacking code, the owner of the vaping pen acquires access to your computer and everything in it.
How Does It Work?
It is difficult to believe words that have no evidence of reality. Vaping pens have become an interesting feature and associating them with hacking is unbelievable to many. However, a researcher who goes by the name Four Octets “not his real name”, claims and demonstrates his claims showing the evidence you need to believe. He plugs in one of his e-cigarette devices using the USB port into a computer for charging. He leaves the e-cigarette device connected to the computer for a while and after a few seconds or so, the computer responds and starts. A message pops out of the screen asking whether you as the user or owner likes to vape.
First of all, the vaporizing device was only connected to the computer and no one had contact with it. Secondly, the vaporizer sends and issues a command i.e. a custom command that makes the computer react and respond to it. After the computer responds, the owner of the vaporizing device now has access to your device and can access any kind of information from it. As a warning to all, it is advisable to abstain from plugging different devices into the computer especially if using your computer’s USB ports.
Purposes
It may take longer to get into your device and the researcher Four Octets may have no ill intentions with bringing this hack up. However, not knowing is even more dangerous and you may not having confidential or essential information. What if an individual brought you a key logger allowing him to access every aspect of your life from financial information to your home addresses among others? What if they just add a ransomware to your computer, this is definitely not a joke and we should take it seriously.
The Hack: How Was It Possible?
Well, it is evident that the first thought about using vaping pens and e-cigarettes would be to distribute viruses and then provide antiviruses for all. However, hacking seemed to be a more appropriate demonstration in reference to the security of information and data. Four Octets, however, claims that the development of the hack began as a funny joke before it developed to a serious matter and went ahead to develop it and try it on different computers or devices. He says that all that was needed was the right hardware device and the development of a bit of a computer code to make it possible through his Twitter account.
He explains that many people can be ignorant or just not know the lengths that people go to in order to acquire information. People are unaware of these kind of possibilities which can be accomplished with a simple hardware device or by using the right code that has been provided and strategically placed for you to find especially when surfing the internet. Furthermore, people don’t mind plugging in random devices onto their devices as they deem it to be helping a stranger in need, which can be dangerous.
Also Read: The Innovative Selfie Technique that is meant to Turn You into Bronze Figure
Conclusion
There is always a possibility that your vaping devices are delivering unwanted information or accessing others from your machine. However, this does not mean that you should shun everyone that needs assistance. It simply means that you should be careful in regards to whatever you plug into your USB ports. It is just an issue to be considered especially if you store confidential and private information or data on your computers or other technological devices. You don’t want anyone else having access to that data at all.
