Would you wear someone else's underwear? Assuming you said no, why would you use their charger then?

We've all been there. Maybe it's wine night with the girls. Throwing down some uppercuts with boys in Street Fighter. Maybe you're just one of those people who just "forgets to plug in" every day you wake up. Regardless, you're going on about your business when BAM:

I know what you're thinking reader, no biggie, just ask someone to borrow a charger. Nothing strange about that. Happens all the time. Just like you, I've done this countless times. Even though I've read time, and time, and time (and time) again that you shouldn't use random charging cords.

I would read these types of reports and usually just acknowledge them quickly. When I'm in random airports (which airport isn't random?), I make mental notes of the chargers laying around, knowing I'm not actually stupid enough to use them. I carry my own chargers everywhere. Got one in my crossbag for work, got one in my travel backpack. It was just advice I found super easy to follow.

How realistic is this problem?

I was listening to the Darknet Diaries podcast (this episode) which told a story about these charging cables. I figured I've read about these things enough, how hard would it be to actually not realize this cable is not safe to use? I mean, come on! The story intrigued me enough to look at the cable in question. Look at this shit reader:

That is a charging cable called the O.MG Cable. That charging cable has Wi-Fi built in. When plugged into a device it can be activated and controlled from anywhere in the world with just a web browser. Can be programmed to mimic inputs into a device or log inputs from a device. Basically, with the right know how, it can hack your device remotely, all while acting like a regular charger.

What's wild is the price point. All that for $180. Add in the $25 programmer, a few hours on YouTube, and you'll be able to pull off some nice party tricks! I just wanted to bring this up cause this was mind blowing to me. Got a ex-partner that is trying to rekindle things with you? Did they happen to leave their charger at your place? Maybe you got some creepy coworkers, someone mad you got that promotion they didn't? They tell you that you could use their charger whenever you wanted? Hell, I'm a moron with some disposable income. Need to borrow a charger for a little bit?

things i read

Two guys hated using Comcast, so they built their own fiber ISP | Jon Brodkin for ArsTechnica

Gen Z is spying on each other | Summer Maxwell for SFGate

There's Neuralink—and There's the Mind-Reading Company That Might Surpass It | Emily Mullin for WIRED

From Cheating Exposés to Dating Background Checks, TikTok Detectives Are Thriving | Tom Ward for WIRED

This Smart Basketball Tracks Data About Every Shot. It Could Be Headed to the NBA | Ben Dowsett for WIRED

Confessions of an American Who Helped North Korea’s Wild Remote Worker Scheme | Evan Ratliff for Bloomberg

Confessions of a Recovering AI Porn Addict | Jason Parham for WIRED

North Korea sent me abroad to be a secret IT worker. My wages funded the regime | Beth Godwin and Julie Yoonnyung Lee for BBC

Leak Reveals the Workaday Lives of North Korean IT Scammers | Matt Burgess for WIRED

Hackers Hijacked Google’s Gemini AI With a Poisoned Calendar Invite to Take Over a Smart Home | Matt Burgess for WIRED

It Looks Like a School Vape Detector. A Teen Hacker Showed It Could Become an Audio Bug | Joseph Cox for 404 Media

Uber’s Festering Sexual Assault Problem | Emily Steel for NY Times

Do you use only chargers that come brand new with your devices? Think I'm some weirdo that reads about things that will never happen in the real world? Let me know at blog@lattepunk.com.