USB Killer: A small pen drive will burn your laptop worth lakhs, destroys the entire device in just a few seconds

News India Live, Digital Desk: If you find an abandoned pen drive lying on the road or a stranger gives you a pen drive for free, then do not make the mistake of installing it in your laptop or phone. This could be ‘USB Killer’. This device looks exactly like an ordinary data cable or pen drive, but inside it there is a circuit that can burn the motherboard of your device in a few seconds. What is USB Killer and how does it work? USB Killer is not a virus or software attack, rather it is a hardware attack. Power Drawing: As soon as you plug it into the USB port, it starts drawing power from the battery of your laptop or phone. High Voltage Discharge: This power is released from the capacitors inside it. (Capacitors). Once charged, this device suddenly releases 200 to 240 volts of DC current through the port back into your motherboard. Burning the motherboard: A computer’s USB port is only designed to handle 5 volts. When a 240 volt shock is applied to it, the main circuit of the motherboard burns out immediately and the device becomes ‘dead’. How dangerous is this? A game of seconds: This process happens so fast that you do not even get a chance to recover. The device shuts down within 1 to 2 seconds of installation. Data recovery impossible: In many cases, it causes so much damage that it even burns your hard drive or SSD, causing your important data to be lost forever. Threat on every device: It can destroy not only laptops, but also smartphones, smart TVs, car infotainment systems and gaming consoles. How to protect yourself and your device? Avoid unknown devices: Never use any unknown device. Do not use pen drives or cables.Public Charging Ports: Use a ‘USB Data Blocker’ (also known as ‘USB Condom’) when using public USB charging ports in airports or cafes. It only allows power to pass through and prevents data/current backflow. Visual check: If a pen drive looks suspicious in appearance or feels hot, remove it immediately.