BadPower attack corrupts fast chargers to melt or set your device on fire

guest · Jul 20, 2020

BadPower attack corrupts fast chargers to melt or set your device on fire
Attackers can alter the firmware of fast charger devices to deliver extra voltage and damage connected equipment
July 20, 2020
https://www.zdnet.com/article/badpo...-chargers-to-melt-or-set-your-device-on-fire/

Chinese security researchers said they can alter the firmware of fast chargers to cause damage to connected (charging) systems, such as melt components, or even set devices on fire.

The technique, named BadPower, was detailed last week in a report published by Xuanwu Lab, a research unit of Chinese tech giant Tencent.
A fast charger looks like any typical charger but works using special firmware. This firmware "talks" to a connected device and negotiates a charging speed, based on the device's capabilities.

The BadPower technique works by altering the default charging parameters to deliver more voltage than the receiving device can handle, which degrades and damages the receiver's components, as they heat up, bend, melt, or even burn.
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When the user connects their infected smartphone or laptop to the fast charger, the malicious code modifies the charger's firmware, and going forward the fast charger will execute a power overload for any subsequently connected devices.
The damage caused by a BadPower attack usually varies depending on the fast charger model and its charging capabilities, but also on the charged device and its protections.
RESEARCHERS TESTED 35 FAST CHARGERS, FOUND 18 VULNERABLE
The Tencent team said they verified their BadPower attack in practice. Researchers said they selected 35 fast chargers from 234 models available on the market and found that 18 models from 8 vendors were vulnerable.
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Suggestions to fix the BadPower problem include hardening firmware to prevent unauthorized modifications, but also deploying overload protection to charged devices.
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trott3r · Jul 20, 2020

How very Bond

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BadPower attack corrupts fast chargers to melt or set your device on fire

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