New types of malware pop up all the time, finding new ways to erase or otherwise compromise the user's data.
A new threat, however, goes beyond simply targeting the user's data and instead aims to physically harm the user's computer.
The threat comes in the form of a "USB Killer," which looks exactly like a standard USB drive and was created by a security researcher from Russia known as Dark Purple. Instead of acting as a way to transfer files, however, the USB Drive destroys the user's computer by sending out a bolt of electricity.
According to Dark Purple, the USB Killer could destroy any equipment that has a USB port. Of course, the technical details behind the device aren't yet known so it's important to take this with a grain of salt, although it seems as though the device is able to discharge "minus 220" volts through the USB port of the computer.
The USB Killer first gained attention back in March, but since then Dark Purple has made some modifications, calling the new device USB Killer 2.0. You can see USB Killer 2.0 in action in a video below.
According to Dark Purple, the computer destroyed in the video will be fine after its motherboard is replaced, and that it's not very likely that the hard disk of the computer was damaged. What this means is that the data on the computer probably wasn't damaged or erased. Still, the idea of a USB-looking device being able to fry your computer means you probably shouldn't plug unknown USB drives into your computer. Of course, you shouldn't have been doing this anyway.
Via: Mashable
