According to MacRumors, security researchers have developed a Lightning cable that can be used to steal passwords and other data from iPhones and iPads. Outwardly, the novelty looks identical to the original cable supplied with the iPhone, but at the same time it is able to send data to a hacker.
Dubbed the OMG Cable, the device works just like a regular cable to charge and sync your iPhone with your computer. However, in addition to this, it can register keystrokes on connected keyboards, which will be more useful for jailbreaking iPads than iPhones. The received data is then sent to the attacker, who may be at a fairly decent distance. The cable creates a Wi-Fi hotspot that a hacker can connect to and, using a simple web app, record keystrokes.
The cable also includes a geolocation function. Other features include the ability to change keyboard layouts and spoof USB credentials.
All the functionality of the cable is made possible by a tiny chip that is not much larger than the original cables. This makes it extremely difficult to identify the tampering device.
Cables made as part of a mobile hacking study by a security researcher known as MG have now entered mass production and will be sold on cybersecurity site Hak5. The devices are available in a variety of configurations including Lightning-USB-C, USB-C-USB-C and others. Cracking cables are virtually indistinguishable from conventional cables, making them a serious data security threat.
