What You Need to Know About the Latest Hacking Technique

By 27 commentsCategory: Alert, FixMeStick BlogTags:

Have you ever borrowed a friend’s charging cable? Maybe a complete stranger when you were at a coffee shop? If so, you need to keep reading.

Last month, a computer security researcher named Mike Grover, who goes by MG online, made a charging cable that can be used to hijack a computer. This device, named the O.MG Cable, looks like any other USB charging cable for smartphones and electronic devices.

How It Works

This O.MG charging cable can be plugged into any computer with a USB port, including Mac and Windows computers. Once connected, it will allow a hacker to access a computer and to execute commands on the computer over Wi-Fi.

They can take control of the computer by instructing it to open up files and click on everything you can see on your screen.

The hacking cable developed by MG looks just like a regular USB cable (source: Unsplash).

Your computer’s operating system also detects this hacking cable as an ordinary input device similar to the way you’d connect a USB keyboard or mouse.

What’s more, MG also built a feature into this cable that will hide any evidence that your computer has been hacked!

What Does This Mean for You?

With new technologies being released every day, hackers are also coming up with new and improved methods to take control of your computer.

With the introduction of this charging cable at a hacking conference in Las Vegas this summer, ethical hackers (people who help computer programmers look for security holes in a software program) are warning people to beware of using a stranger’s charging cable.

Luckily, due to the nature of these charging cables, it is difficult for the hacker to make a wide-scale attack and infect millions of computers with it. However, it can be used for targeted attacks especially when these cables are masqueraded as gifts meant for a specific person.

The best way to protect yourself is to only use your own charging cables or purchase them from a reputable source. And of course, keep yourself updated on the latest computer security news by checking our FixMeStick blog each week!

27 comments

  1. Donn Hilton -

    I got a message from fixmestick with checkoff boxes asking for a reason I am not using it for quite some time. The reason is pretty simple. I run Bitdefender on my computers and also System Mechanic. I used to run FIXME STICK and find viruses once in a while but not any more. So… I still have the stick but it is obviously not doing me a whole lot of good right now.

    • Linda -

      Hi Pierre, thank you for your interest! Unfortunately, the current version of the FixMeStick was not designed to support tablet or smartphone use. In the meantime, click here for an article on how to manually clear settings on your tablet. You can also consider getting a McAfee antivirus subscription which will work on your iPhone and iPad. As a FixMeStick customer, you can click here for a discounted price on McAfee.

  3. Lars Andersen -

    Now I am curious, should I plug in my FixMeStick or what???. You never know. I am kidding. In anyway wait for google to inform yo to change your password, that is one option, but it will be too late for the first round. Lars andersen.

    • Linda -

      Hi Lars, FixMeStick doesn’t protect you from real-time threats as it will only remove viruses that have already been downloaded onto your computer. But you can definitely use your FixMeStick to check if your computer is infected!

  5. Anonymous -

    i love my fix me stick! I use it all the time. It has saved me from untold frustration and has found viruses my McAfee has not stopped from intruding! And that was just recently! So thank you for inventing this device. Any time my computer starts acting up, I run my fix me stick and viola, the problem is resolved. It really gives me peace of mind, knowing I don’t have to call some computer expert, so called, and have them delete all my information or transfer it maybe, from my computer in the process. I have had several computers ruined as a result. So this keeps that from happening. I have had mine several years now and continue to recommend it to friends and loved ones that I know appreciate the same peace of mind I enjoy. I keep my little caped man on my start up line-up and he’s there at a moments notice to help me keep my computer safe and sound. Thanks to you all, and keep working on those other devices that may have to be plugged in to operate, but it’s worth the price. I also want to thank you for the valuable information you send out to keep us all safe and our privacy private. We love fix me stick!

  7. Donna -

    I use the FixMeStick frequently, however, when I go into Chrome, a cartoon car appears in the top, left hand corner of the screen, putting out words, “The owner never feeds me’. The FixMeStick doesn’t seem to be able to get rid of it.

    • Linda -

      Hi Donna, to shorten your scan times, consider doing a custom scan by following the instructions here. This will break your scan up into smaller chunks. Alternatively, we recommend running a FixMeStick scan overnight so you can use your computer again in the morning.

  10. Ybymot -

    I have tested fixme stick on several pcs.in my shop for awhile, i always use the best internet security programs,but when something happens; Usually
    Fixme stick finds the problem
    & deletes them. Who ever designed this usb device is
    A very smart cookie, blessings, & thanks for protecting us. Worth the money for sure ! ????????????

  11. David -

    I run fixme stick regularly, and viper antivirus runs in the background.

    • Linda -

      Hi David, great to see that you have two layers of protection on your computer!

  12. Ted -

    I run Super Anti-spyware, CCCleaner, Avast Cleaner, Avast Premium, Avast Anti-tracker on my compute. I run FixMe Stick the first of every month. I been told I should run only one of these programs on my computer. If that is true which one should I run.

    • Linda -

      Hi Ted, if you have a FixMeStick then we definitely recommend running it once per month. For the other programs, feel free to choose which one works the best for you as they all work to protect your computer. At FixMeStick, we recommend having two layers of antivirus protection – one with FixMeStick and the other with an antivirus program like McAfee Total Protection.

  13. Michael Batey -

    I have used my fix me stick for two years on my hp laptop never found anything even got a notice my puter was shutdown by the fbi please call this number. Ran fix didn’t find anything guess it doesn’t work on my machine so reluctant to renew

  14. Alice -

    I have FixMeStick and McAfee Antivirus Plus , Do I need McAfee Total protection as well !

    • Linda -

      Hi Alice, we recommend choosing the McAfee product that best suits your needs. To see a comparison between McAfee Antivirus Plus and McAfee Total Protection, click here.

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