The USB Killer: A Device Designed to Destroy Computers

As Austin demonstrated, the USB Killer is a device designed to test hardware and can straight up kill your computer. While it may look like an ordinary USB device, taking off its cap reveals a series of capacitors inside. When plugged into a computer, these capacitors charge up and once full, release all that power back into the computer at 240 volts, effectively killing it.

Before we proceed, Austin emphasizes that he does not want anyone to try this at home. The device is very possible to kill electronics, and using it improperly can cause serious damage. By being careful with your electronics and not letting random people plug things in, you should be fine, but all it takes is a single second, and you can do some serious damage.

To find out if the USB Killer actually works, Austin uses an Asus Chromebook as a test subject. The device claims that it will work on around 95% of computers, mainly because many have unprotected ports that allow the device to send a ton of power straight into the motherboard, frying a bunch of stuff and killing the computer. Plugging in the USB Killer, Austin hears a little tiny click, and the Chromebook's screen is definitely dead.

The next test subject is a MacBook Pro, but Apple has actually fixed the USB ports so that they are not susceptible to an attack like this. To test the device, Austin uses a USB-C to USB-A adapter, which should not affect anything, but will find out. Plugging in the adapter, Austin hears it click, and the MacBook survives.

To see if they actually killed the port, Austin plugs in power and charges with the port still working. He also tests by plugging in a USB drive, which does not pop up. The device seems to have completely killed the Thunderbolt port on the MacBook.

Next, Austin takes on a 32-inch smart TV as his test subject. Even normal flat-screen TVs usually have USB ports that can be damaged by the USB Killer. Plugging it in, he hears a loud click and sees the TV's screen flicker, but it does not turn off. To find out if the port still works, Austin plugs in a keyboard, which is supported by smart TVs. The device appears to have fried the USB port on the TV.

Austin then moves on to test the USB Killer on a Nexus 6P phone, which has a USB-C port. Plugging it in, the phone reboots loudly and pulls out its battery. Austin tests if the port still works by plugging in his PC, which is charging and acting just like a charger, not seeing any data coming through.

The results of these tests show that the USB Killer is no joke. If you're really worried about this, there are USB protectors that will physically lock out the ports on your computer. The EFF has done some amazing work to make sure that the internet stays open and free for everyone, so Austin decides to give back by making a donation.

The impact of the USB Killer is serious, but with proper care and caution, you should be fine. As long as you're careful with your electronics, don't let random people plug things in, and take precautions, you can avoid any damage. The latest tech news will be available on the channel's next video.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- I'm nervous.Hey guys, this is Austin,and this is the USB Killer.Now, it might not look like much,however this will straightup kill your computer.So, this is a device that'sused to test hardware,so while it looks likean ordinary USB device,you take the cap off itcan be any old flash drive,instead, there's a seriesof capacitors inside.So, if you plug it into a computer,it will charge those capacitors up,and once they're full it turns aroundand releases all ofthat power at 240 voltsstraight back into the computer,in theory killing it.While the USB Kill logois a bit of a giveaway,it doesn't take much to beable to pop this thing open.Now, before we proceed:Do not try this at home.Seriously.Not only is it verypossible for this thingto kill electronics, but it's alsoa lot of voltage here,you wanna be careful.And by being careful, Imean don't try this at home.So, to find out if thisis actually going to work,we have an Asus Chromebook.Now, USB Killer claims that thisis going to work on around95 percent of computers,and the reason for that is thatwhile some computers haveproperly capped USB ports,most have completely unprotected ports,which means that if this thingsends a ton of power through the computer,instead of being ableto block it at the port,it's gonna send it straightinto the motherboard,fry a bunch of stuff,it's going to be dead.So in theory, I plug thisin, and it's going to die.So, plugging it in in three, two, one.(laughs)Whoa!Okay hold on, hold on, hold on.That was so fast!I don't even think thattook half a second,like it plugged in, Iheard a little tiny click,and it was done for.I see this light, which makes me thinkthere's maybe some life,but the screen is definitely dead.Maybe the battery is still intact,which is running that light,but Chromebook: Done for.I don't wanna do the MacBook.(laughs)I don't wanna do the MacBook!I think it's gonna kill the MacBook man.I think it's gonna kill it.I don't wanna do the MacBook.I'm not even joking right now.- Oh!Yeah, but everyone's not gonna have tobuy me a new MacBook when this one dies.(laughs)Ken, why?(Ken in background laughing)Alright, it's MacBook time.This guy, it's on him!You're gonna have MacBookblood on your hands.We're going to try the USB Killeron the brand new 2016 MacBook Pro.Now, normally I wouldnot want to kill thisunder any circumstances, however,apparently Apple hasactually fixed the USB portsso that they are not susceptibleto an attack like this.So because this doesn'thave normal USB ports,we're going to be usinga USB-C to USB-A adapter.This shouldn't affectanything, but we'll find out.Dude, I'm so nervous.I'm so nervous right now.Alright, there's nothing to it.Let's plug the adapterin, in three, two, one.Oh, it clicked, it clicked!Oh, it's clicking, you hear that?Oh, it survived.Alright, that's enough clicking,that's enough clicking.Okay, you're good, you're good.(laughs nervously)Oh man, I was so convincedit was about to die.So now what I wanna know isdid we actually kill the port?So I plug in power.Yeah so we can definitelystill charge with the port,so I think everything should be fine.I also have a USB drive here,so we should be able to see it pop up.Or not.Wow, did we actually killthe data on this port?Hang on a second.So it looks like thisis still getting power,so the power part ofthis port still works,but as far as data goes, we completelykilled that Thunderbolt port, wow.Now, it's time to raise the stakes.This is a 32 inch TV.Now this happens to be a smart TV,however even normal flat screen TV'swill typically have a USB port.So usually you plug in a flash driveto load pictures, video, or even firmware.So we're gonna find out:Will the USB Killer beable to kill an entire TV?Plugging it in in three, two, one.Oh, I heard it.The TV's still on.It's not ticking.I heard one loud click, and that was it.I wonder, does the USB port still work?Cause the TV's still fine.So, to find out if thisactually works or not,we're gonna plug a keyboard in,which might sound likea weird thing to do,however, since this is a smart TV,it actually does support a keyboard.Nothing, no.You see, I don't even thinkthis is getting power.While the USB Killer didn't kill the TV,it did at least fry the USB port.Next, we have a phone.Now this might seem like a little bitof a weird choice, however,the 6P does have a USB-C port.So, plugging into the Nexus6P in three, two, one.Oh!Whoa!Wait, the phone'srebooting, hold on a second.Pull out, pull out, pull out.So it reset the phone.That was a really loud crack too.So, everything seems tobe fine on the phone.Now let's see if we canactually plug it in.So what I want to know isdoes the port still work?So, we have a PC here,and if we plug it in.Okay, so we are charging, soat least we have that working.Can we get data?Yeah, this is acting just like a charger,it doesn't see any kind of datacoming through on either side.So, it might not have killed the phone,and to be fair you can still charge,which honestly is by far the mostimportant part of beingable to use a port,however, the fact that we've killed dataon two different USB-Cdevices does not bode well.This USB Killer is no joke.As long as you're carefulwith your electronics,and don't let randompeople plug things in,you should be fine,however all it takes is a single second,and you can do some serious damage.Now, if you're really worried about this,there are USB protectors that willactually physically lock outthe ports on your computer,and I'll have one of thoselinked in the description,however, as long as you'recareful, you should be okay.Because we did do some damage today,I wanted to give back, so wemade a donation to the EFFThey do some absolutely amazing workto make sure that the internet staysopen and free for everyone.If you enjoyed this video and you wantto see more on the latest techincluding stuff like this,definitely be sure tosubscribe to the channel,and I will catch you guys in the next one.