http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/21/e-cigarettes-malware-computers I guess this comes as no surprise given BadUsb. It was just a matter of time.
A point of view - FUD: E-Cig chargers said to be delivering malware http://www.csoonline.com/article/28...g-chargers-said-to-be-delivering-malware.html
It's not FUD, lots of devices on USB can spread malware, the US Govt. has been spreading malware for a decade on USB devices, and they hide sniffing technology in the plugs of Keyboards and stuff. Back when I worked for a defense contractor we used to fill USB slots with a hot-glue-gun, validate good USB devices, then fuse them in. It's only now the public is becoming aware of a problem that's been festering for a decade.
The items that I'd worry most about hooking to a USB port are smartphones. IMO, they're the ideal malware delivery system for USB. We've reached the point that USB devices can't be trusted, period. A hot glue gun or epoxy is a good defensive measure. Personally, I'd favor a more offensive solution, like hooking high voltage to the USB port and destroy the attackers device.
It's getting bad. Real bad. To the point I am considering purchasing older, slower, uncompromised laptops, and running a Linux Hot CD in them for all browsing/email. Then leaving Windows as a game machine. Given BIOS is now compromised, the window to do all of this is closing.
That's a large part of the reason that I run older hardware and even older operating systems. AFAIC, the current operating systems are little more than disguised spyware. The hardware isn't far behind.
Running older hardware is a bad idea for me. I'm a gamer, and we do a lot of things at home that require modern, fast processors, and modern software. It's unavoidable, and you can't lock yourself in a cave, or be a luddite your entire life as everyone suffers when you do this. The logical thing if one is paranoid is to encrypt everything important with file-level encryption. If one is more extreme paranoid, then buying older hardware, running off LiveOS DVD/CD's for 'specific' things like web browsing and/or Emails would be a good plan. I'd never run old hardware or old operating systems as my primary desktop, and think that's a bit ludicrous. Windows 9X has spyware in it as well. So that won't stop anyone intent on spying on you. It's going to require something like TailsOS or Liberte' if you want real privacy, but you won't be running TailsOS as your daily operating system unless you want to severely cripple yourself.
This might be off-topic, so mods it's okay if you delete this if it is. Anyone that uses a lot of USB devices and is worried for his/her security can try this: http://www.mcshield.net/
For me, older hardware and operating systems are just fine. I'm not a gamer. Nothing I do requires fast or modern hardware. What I have serves my needs just fine. No one "suffers" from my using older hardware/software except for those profiting from the new stuff. Yes, 98 has some spyware built in. Unlike newer versions, there's a lot less of it, and what is there is can be removed or disabled. If someone is intent on spying on me, so be it. I won't use an OS that's designed to make it easy or one that logs everything that I do. I don't have the time or patience to start over with linux. Given some of the vulnerabilities found there recently, I'm not convinced that's it's any better. It always amazes me how not "getting with the times" is equated to locking oneself in a cave or gets labeled with a term like "luddite". I use what's appropriate to my needs. Technology serves me. I don't serve technology.
