A USB killer is a device that is designed to be portable and sends high-voltage power surges repeatedly into the data lines of the device it is connected to, which will damage hardware components (integrated circuits for ADC/ DAC providing transmission) on unprotected devices. Companies selling the device state it is designed to test components for protection from power surges and

electrostatic discharge Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a sudden and momentary flow of electric current between two differently-charged objects when brought close together or when the dielectric between them breaks down, often creating a visible electric spark, spark as ...

. Various overvoltage protection devices may be employed to make lines more resistant to high currents.

Mechanism

The device typically contains several

capacitor In electrical engineering, a capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy by accumulating electric charges on two closely spaced surfaces that are insulated from each other. The capacitor was originally known as the condenser, a term st ...

s and charge and discharge circuitry. When the device is connected to a USB port, the capacitors are charged from the USB port's 5

volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, Voltage#Galvani potential vs. electrochemical potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units, International System of Uni ...

supply. When they are fully charged, the device discharges them through step-up circuitry, which delivers a high voltage back into the USB port. Versions of the device have been reported to deliver a pulse of around negative 200V. This greatly exceeds the normal voltage the USB

host adapter In computer hardware a host controller, host adapter or host bus adapter (HBA) connects a computer system bus which acts as the host system to other network and storage devices. The terms are primarily used to refer to devices for connecting ...

is designed to accept; the intention is that the device will destroy it (and perhaps the southbridge which it often forms part of). In many cases, this will render the computer inoperable. This device has been compared to the Etherkiller, part of a family of cables that feed

mains electricity Mains electricity, utility power, grid power, domestic power, wall power, household current, or, in some parts of Canada, hydro, is a general-purpose Alternating current, alternating-current (AC) electric power supply. It is the form of electri ...

into low-voltage sockets such as RJ45.

Models

There are different models of the device, the latest being USB Killer v4. Earlier generations, including USB Killer v2, were developed by a Russian computer researcher with the alias Dark Purple. Similar homemade devices have been constructed from camera flash parts, both of which already feature high-voltage circuitry. A more recent version uses the piezo inverter transformer from a CCFL driver with a simple two-transistor resonant Royer oscillator, one-shot timer and a

spark gap A spark gap consists of an arrangement of two Conductor (material), conducting electrodes separated by a gap usually filled with a gas such as air, designed to allow an electric spark to pass between the conductors. When the potential differenc ...

as a lightweight way to generate an 1800 V sharp pulse more closely simulating a low-power electrostatic discharge for mitigation and circuit testing purposes. The prototype has a countdown timer and ascending bleep warning to reduce the chances of accidental or malicious use.

Malicious use

In April 2019, a student at College of Saint Rose in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

pleaded guilty to destroying 66 computers in his college using a USB killer. He also destroyed seven computer monitors and computer-enhanced podiums. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, followed by a year of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $58,471 in restitution.

Mouse version

There are also computer mice with built-in USB killers. The proof-of-concept was invented at the

Silesian University of Technology The Silesian University of Technology (Polish language, Polish name: Politechnika Śląska; ) is a university located in the Polish province of Silesia, with most of its facilities in the city of Gliwice. It was founded in 1945 by Polish profes ...

in Poland, which patented it.

References

{{USB USB Hardware testing