Technology vs Security: What Does the USB-C See?

By: John Simon

What is personal security in this day and age?  Between the cameras on every corner stalking your movements, or the facial recognition programs you upload your selfie to, it’s hard to feel a sense of privacy in our lives.  Your life can be facebooked for all to see, and your computers and devices have never been less secure.  Most would argue that giving up some privacy is necessary for the greater good, but how much is too much?

New technology is constantly being introduced, and keeping up with the Jones’ has never been more important in society than today.  This is our downfall.  We’ve become so reliant on technology and don’t realize the threat it can pose to our security and safety. Take for instance a new tech that will be out and operational in the coming months: the introduction of Apple and Google’s USB-C ports.  Everyone thinks we live in a wireless age, yet we forget that most of the time your devices are plugged into a wall or a computer, charging and share files.   All these devices with your personal information, phone numbers, email addresses, passwords, banking information, photos of your house or children, or maybe that sexy text from the wife and your secret spank bank.  These devices filled with private information are being plugged into a USB which isn’t very secure at all.

Last year a piece of malware was traveling around called BADUSB, which connects and attaches on to your computer through, what else, a USB thumb drive or even a USB cable.  The malware was written directly to the USB’s firmware, making it virtually undetectable and, even worse, once the malware has intercepted your computer it can take complete control over your most sensitive of documents.  The malware is to date unfixable, rendering your computer or device unsafe.

Now, this was just the old standard USB.  The old USB security could be somewhat controlled by consumers if they only used one USB, and made sure not to allow someone else to add a USB thumb into their computer.  This will change with the introduction of the new USB-C.  So, what’s the big difference in the new USB-C format? That is a good question.

The new USB-C boast claims of increased speed of file transfer, charging, and universal connectivity. This means laptops, cellphones and cameras–anything that needs to charge and collects potentially exploitable information–can all be plugged into the same place.  This seems like a great idea but leaves us vulnerable to thieves and hackers.  This mass market endeavor leaves an easy backdoor entry for those like the NSA to expand their global control over information.  Could big tech corporations be in league with those such as the NSA? It’s been shown already through phone lines and cellphones. Why not all of information sharing technology.

As the great debates of net neutrality, privacy, and information sharing continues throughout our country and the world it’s best to stay informed, at least to find ways to secure your own personal liberty and freedom not as Americans but as human beings.  Stay informed, because ignorance is what those in power want of us, and turning a blind eye doesn’t keep you safe.