USB Kill recently released its 3rd interation of its USB killing device, the USB Killer V3. According to the product’s description,
The USB Killer is a CE & FCC Approved testing device designed to test the surge protection circuitry of electronics to their limits – and beyond.
When plugged into a device, the USB Killer rapidly charges its capacitors from the USB power lines. When the device is charged, -200VDC is discharged over the data lines of the host device. This charge/discharge cycle is repeated many times per second, until the USB Killer is removed.
Simply put: used on unprotected equipment, the USB Killer instantly and permanently disables unprotected hardware.
Its compact size and flash-drive style housing makes it an important device in every pen-tester’s toolkit.
The USB Kill V3.0 also comes in an anonymous edition: without any logo or branding, in a generic USB Flash Drive case.
As I’ve mentioned in my previous comments on the USB Kill products, although these are intended for testing surge protection–and certainly there may be people who purchase this with malicous intent in mind, this would also be useful for someone such as a political dissident or other person operating outside the law to quickly destroy a laptop or other piece of technology in case the authorities are closing in.