USB ‘Condom’ Prevents Data Insemination

Tech stops data flowing from a fully loaded stick and into a dirty slot

A USB “condom” was unwrapped last week, arousing a lot of media attention for the way in which it prevented data seepage from connected devices.

The idea is simple: slip the condom over a phone and cut off the pins that transfer data to a laptop, leaving the others open so the device can charge.

USB Condom turns geeks on

“If you’re going to run around plugging your phone into strange USB ports, at least be safe about it,” manufacturer int3.cc said in its marketing materials.

See below for a diagram of the protective device:

USB Condoms

Int3.cc believes its device, which is currently out of stock following much attention in the media, will help protect against juice jacking – a technique where a hacker sets up an altered charging station that can siphon off data.

The USB Condom maker said it had another exciting product coming out, but was not giving away any details.

“It is a product that also fills a ‘gap’ for average consumers, giving them new and powerful capabilities all from their smartphones. We’re excited about the release and the new ways folks will think to apply it to their lives in ways we haven’t foreseen,” the company wrote in a blog post.

A fresh batch of the Condoms should be available later this week.

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