Schneier on Security

Clive Robinson • March 8, 2010 4:08 PM

For all those that think smashing a flash drive with a hammer for a few seconds will destroy the chip, dream on.

Sorry they are not indestructable but they are not far off of it (which is why they are used in modern flight data recorders). I actually know some one who was paid by a TV company to fire a steel cased thumb drive out of a musket at a brick wall. It's case and connector where knackered but it still worked after a replacment conector was soldered on.

And even if you do break the chip, it will not prevent data being read of bits of it, if people are prepared to go the extra mile or three to probe the remains out (and the equipment to do it is well within a University project lab budget).

Oh and for those who where making Alumentary deductions...

And think 4 days is a long time for the data to come to pass as it where. If you know what you are doing you can bring your dietry transit to a halt (just stop drinking water for two days) then only drink sufficient to keep you just alive. After about five days it will be to dangerous to operate on you untill you are properly re-hydrated (not sure what the law is in the US on forcing non essential surgury onto a person but I suspect most surgeons would not want to be involved).

One of the reasons the military like giving short sentance prisoners "as much bread" but only a pint or two of water a day is what it does to your dietry tract (block it rock solid after about 3-4 days and it can take two weeks of gastric pain to sort out and might give rise to lower GI bleeding in the process). It should by rights be regarded as "crul and inhuman treatment"

My advise if you get put on B&W refuse the bread you will save yourself much pain in the long run. Oh and you stop feeling hungery after about three days anyway...

Clive Robinson • March 9, 2010 2:18 AM

@ Trichinosis USA,

"Geez, the jokes practically write themselves."

First of all there is the question of class certification, was the USB device compliant as "am ass storage device".

Then as in all such cases there is the PR asspect,

Do you call in a Spin Dr or a Medical Dr?

Of course there is there is the marketing oportunity with an advertising slogan,

'If you have piles of data put it on our drive, tuck it away and sit back and relax.'

Then there is Sherlock summing up the case,

'Watson, Watson, Watson it was but an alimentary deduction. Once made all I had to do was wait to get to the bottom of the matter at hand. Just wait for that ring of truth, and the evidence dropped into my hands for all the world to see.'

Clive Robinson • March 10, 2010 7:31 AM

@ Nick P,

"I wonder what the odds are of it spontaneously combusting on a really hot day. How much heat does it take to set it off? I know a lighter will work, but how much less?"

There are various flash papers you can make one yourself using ordinary paper and potassium permanganate (you can get it from a chemist with little difficulty).

With regards nitrations of cellulose it was the fore runner of plastic and you will still find old piano keys and knife handles made of it.

One such use as it is near transparent is "Celluloid" which used to be used for making films...

It was also used for making billiard balls as well.

Unfortunately all nitrates of cellulose are either very very flammable or explosive, and have a nasty property in that under a percussive force the nitrates can change upwards becoming more and more explosive as they go (look up Tri-nitro-celluloses other name ;).

Which is why you will find historical reports about exploding billiard balls and musical pieces that brought the house down quite literally...