Hacking a SATA Cable to Transmit Files

[@subfloor2022]

Hypothetical hacks be like: "Ok, so you brainwash a worker to carry the computer to your house, then you modify the rubber feet to vibrate at a special frequency to transmit data at 1 bit an hour."

[@maki8510]

Lmaoo 💀💀

[@YachtyBurner]

hahaha but for real, some of these are “technically doable” but practically bullshit

[@anteshell]

@@YachtyBurner Unfeasible. Not bullshit. Bullshit implies deception and not difficulty and inconvenience of the implementation.

[@giornikitop5373]

yeah, practically zero chances for this to apply anywhere, just to scare ppl and make them start putting tinfoil in their sata cables. the world is full of BS like that...

[@SioxerNikita]

@@YachtyBurner Learning of them and studying them can lead to counter-measures to deal with practical versions later. This kind of study is not just purely for fun.

[@williamsamuelsson9448]

The issue with the vulnerability is that many of the most secure air-gap systems are located in Faraday cages.

[@ko-Daegu]

Hence why you smuggle an antenna The thing is those system are targeted by state actors one of the main thing they do to actually succeed in their operations is to turn insiders to their asset (they threaten someone family or pay someone or practically have a long time double agent) I remember an ex-CIA talking how this is the majority of the world works It’s not just these Air-bridging attacks but many other things as well require you to have x number of double agents

[@indian-tech-support]

Ah Faraday cages block some but not all the frequencies

[@fiftyfuckingfeet]

Given the strength of the signal it likely wouldn't penetrate any of the walls in the room so you have bigger things to worry about than a Faraday cage. You would need to be at a distance that would likely place you inside the cage with line of sight.

[@romulosendoromulo]

"6 severe security vulnerabilities that come complimentary with every purchase" really cracked me up

[@lohphat]

You have to be REALLY close for this to work. If physical security is already that compromised to get close enough, then this is NOT your primary issue.

[@geroffmilan3328]

Air-gapped does not mean physical separation. Many air-gapped workstations sit on top of or beside their Internet-enabled equivalents, connected by KVMs in many cases, because their operators need both.

[@charleshines2142]

If you are having those problems there is likely to be an inside job where someone who is doing this needs to be found and banned from the premises for *life* . Even get restraining orders on that person so that they may not come within a specific distance ever again too!! Besides, if someone was concerned about this enough I am sure that he would even have a room be a faraday cage to prevent it from happening too.

[@IlluminatiBG]

The easiest mitigation for the over-the-air SATA transmission seems to be grounding. Usually computer cases are grounded on all sides, so even if there is a leak in the signal of any internal cable, it won't be a problem. A much more viable target of attack are the display cables.

[@erg0centric]

If you create a ground loop then you are back to antenna. A common problem in the age of turntables.

[@soundspark]

And yet lots of "gaming" PCs have gigantic windows on the side just so you can look at the circuitry as well as the unnecessary lights that don't help performance one bit.

[@ChrispyChris3]

That guy is definitely smart! His area of research is incredibly important, despite me never even really hearing or thinking about it before hearing it! Like you said though, airgapped systems are usually set up that way because they contain extremely important data or are used for highly sensitive operations. Having even a FEW good guys in this area is great, because I can guarantee the bad guys are looking for more and more ways to get into these sort of systems!

[@fant0m407]

Your explanation of these complicated subjects is amazing

[@7heMech]

That's actually pretty cool, if the hacker can leave a device that will get the signal and send it over the internet nearby, it might solve the issue of distance

[@geroffmilan3328]

Correct - that is the M.O. for this. Though I also agree with the host that it is not the most practical of attacks, in my view its the bitrates - for these attacks you must avoid detection for a very long time to get useful volumes of data.

[@eddiewramos]

Doesn’t a metal computer case already do a good job as faraday cage blocking rf?

[@nullcomputer114]

his videos never fail to amaze me

[@hulksmashnoobsgotit2387]

"this technique will work on virtually all computers" *laughs in m.2*

[@boreal3255]

this type of attack might work on m.2 anyway

[@nicolaskeroack7860]

1:35 How the IA hacked itself out of it's system and destroyed humanity to simulate it again once it realized 42

[@_Sh4d0ws_]

I always enjoy your videos mate and tyvm for getting right into the topics, without a long intro or ads. I respect that and therefor always let the outro/ads run while reading some comments

[@pcislocked]

After reading the title i was like "ISN'T THAT WHAT THEY DO?!?!?!" add "wirelessly" to the title

[@dafoex]

thatsthejoke.webp

[@tvathome562]

I'm no expert in wireless communications, but wouldn't the severcase being a metal cage act like a Faraday cage and block the signal?

[@radekhladik7895]

The obvious use case is that if you have an access to an air gaped computer now and you want to steal the data later. So you install one program to transmit the data and hide the receiver somewhere near.

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

As far as I can think of, that PLC password cracking malware isn't really going to affect anyone that are just doing regular business. Just how often would an engineer having no backup of the source program? As long as the source program is still available, one can just wipe the PLC and then download the program back onto the fresh PLC. Usually the real reason cracking the PLC is needed is if someone is trying to steel the program out of the PLC (because they want to use it elsewhere or modify it, and don't want to pay the original vendor), or the PLC was in use for so long people have no idea who still got the source file anymore when it breaks, but it would be too expensive to rewrite the program. Either case should not happen really, but people are dumb so this malware can still trick someone.

[@Tonatsi]

PLCs being so old no one knows where the source file is is a very common and likely thing in the tech industry, especially given you have 20YO PLCs as standards.

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

@@Tonatsi but then it might be better to just rewrite the whole thing. I know this is beyond the topic but I don't think having the machine rely on old PLCs that you might or might not be able to get a replacement unit would be a good idea. And it's also possible to attach a new PLC with additional logic to the machine. Treating the old and still working logic as a black box is just as common. Anyway, I do know that losing source file could be a thing, I'm just saying that it shouldn't happen.

[@j3s0n]

RF shielding tape is such an amazing invention. A cheeky way to get through EMC testing in one piece on a shoestring budget

[@Leo-sd3jt]

New 802.11ax wifi routers operate in the 6ghz range. It's called WIFI 6E

[@Stoney_Eagle]

You explain it much better than the other video I've seen on it 😉

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

6ghz? that could probably get blocked by the metal case.

[@maxrobe]

Worked in places with really long 9600 baud serial cables. Wonder if you could do similar or is it the speed of the SATA which allows the EMF to be generated to that frequency?

[@ko-Daegu]

Are they grounded ???

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

Long serial cables are usually shielded, though. And I don't think any serial interface can generate high enough frequency that can emit noticeable amount of electromagnetic wave. Especially not for when the cable is so long you have to use 9600 baud rate, a quick math calculation would show that the wave length would be like 30km. You got to have real humongous machines to read that kind of signal out of air.

[@user2C47]

@@FlameRat_YehLon The fact that they said "worked" and not "working" suggests that this was a long time ago.

[@FlameRat_YehLon]

@@user2C47 serial connection is still getting used, and 9600bps ones can run for a few kilometers which is kinda unrivaled to most modern technologies unless you pay for something exotic.

[@midimusicforever]

I would never put something like htat car thing in my car, even without known bugs.

[@PashaGamingYT]

Nowadays SATA cables are significantly less popular due to the M.2 connector becoming much more popular, so many people who have built a computer recently actually wouldn't recognise the connector.

[@draken5379]

I dont totally agree with this. Most people still have SSD`s and even HDs for 'local cold storage' if you will. 90% of your data doesnt need to be on any SSD.

[@PashaGamingYT]

@@draken5379 Most people don't know what cold storage means

[@trueriver1950]

@@PashaGamingYT hint: it's not keeping your backup disks in the fridge

[@jen_ate_that]

@@trueriver1950 so freezer then?

[@user2C47]

Also, a lot of people use mechanical HDDs for bulk storage of things like media.

[@pinklady7184]

That is precisely why I write sensitive informations like passwords on paper. When any burglar steals my copybook, no one can possibly decipher my shorthand (my own invention).

[@Tacheonblack]

It sounds like Mordechai Guri fell in love with Van Eck phreaking and has been attempting to expand the horizons of that world ever since.

[@nickolaswilcox425]

i once tried to bid on an apple prototype shielded against such an exploit, priced out of my range but whatever, the exploit back then was based on crts, turns out with a good mic you can recreate what a crt shows based on the sound from a decent distance and the government is concerned about that, this particular prototype was a reshelled lisa, i was more interested in it for being a lisa than a prototype but that part certainly helped

[@skatingskelly]

wait a minute. seytonic video with only 9 comments?

[@timothy8428]

You can have all the security in the world but it still won't stop the bad guy from surgically implanting the matching retina pattern in his own eyeball.

[@patrik5123]

NGL, any method that would turn a computers hardware into a radio antennae, is pretty damn cool.

[@luciphonicverdigris3149]

Sounds reminiscent of fuzzing via i2c. Nice vids dude!

[@OmarJIBAR]

You're videos are very informative. Thanks a lot for the greate content.

[@wargames6888]

Nice vid now I am always paranoid thanks

[@sysghost]

Reminds me of that hack that utilised the HDD status LED to airgap transmit data. I think that hack even got featured in Mr Robots Series IIRC. Sure it was slow but just park your black van or rent that hotel room across the street outside the window where the server HDD status led is visible from outside (Yeah that alone is a long shot). Then wait for the malware to do its job and slowly but steadily transfers key information out.

[@geroffmilan3328]

Same researcher.

[@TheTubejunky]

Interface EVERYTHING! Even RADIO WAVES to _*BIT FLIP *_ given there isn't a Faraday cage around your target!

[@jackkraken3888]

Why on Earth does that Pikachu have such a big booty? Is nothing sacred anymore?

[@bigboypal]

this is straight up some mission impossible stuff. Completely impractical but cool as hell.

[@Zerefxstar]

can you share the website to get info/ details on latest hacks and writeup/ research papers?

[@zadekeys2194]

To be accurate it's not hackers (usually assumed as bad people) but security researchers (good people 98% of the time) who found this out.

[@geroffmilan3328]

Ahhhh, my sweet summer child 😁 I'm afraid you are operating what is commonly considered the uninformed definition of "hacker", on a channel whose audience is less mainstream. Those who write papers or present at cons all consider themselves hackers - have *no* doubt!

[@everythingdigital1]

A monitor transmits more then the sata cables from what I recall. I never heard of the term air gapped but things like tempest been around forever it lets you see a monitors screen through the emf radiation a monitor emits its harder to block it cause a monitor needs to have a opening to be seen. I used tempest before to play a game over sdr I feel like it would be more practical in the long run then trying to grab signals inside a metal sever box.

[@samsh0-q3a]

air gapped just means there's no physical connection to the internet.

[@charleshines2142]

About USB sticks I am sure that these days some places have a very strict policy on no outside USB sticks that they did not supply themselves. They can be USB killers or even have malware on them. The malware can do a variety of things depending on the kind that is on the stick. It might steal passwords or it may even be a remote access trojan to allow for the attacker to do a bunch of nefarious things. They may be installing crypto miners on your computers, slowing your computers down. This would be a theft of your electricity, and a variety of other charges if they were ever caught.

[@rusprice]

does anyone know the background song seytonic uses in his videos?

[@ilnegrodelghetto8183]

“Usb sicks” where is the T!

[@kozad86]

Each video on this channel be like, “Be scared, they’re gonna hack yoooooou!” then after a few minutes, “This is impractical and unlikely.” 🥴

[@coopermarino2355]

What’s next? Hackers hack the power button so the computer can be turned on

[@xiaowong6651]

0:08 nope, not really, a lot of people and companies have switched to m.2 drives already. Saying all is incorrect. * Ye he said pretty much all

[@anthonypeters2176]

Then it’s a good thing he said “nearly all” instead of “all”

[@ThompYT]

@@anthonypeters2176 its way less than nearly all to be honest

[@giornikitop5373]

doesn't matter. even if this works, you need to be very close to the cables (1m). you have better chances by roundhouse kicking the damn thing like chuck norris and make it spit out the files!!!!

[@ko-Daegu]

@@ThompYT so backups using HDD (with NAS every single YT for example have) is not a thing anymore Let’s alone companies with their huge servers ???

[@ThompYT]

@@ko-Daegu server's aren't nearly all computers in the world so it still wouldn't work.

[@dtibor5903]

Thanks FCC rules to make this possible. Just use a standard metal PC case, acts like a faraday case.

[@reallybigcircle]

A good bit of these airgap hacks requires a USB at some point. I feel like any system that requires a computer to be completely airgapped would also not allow any usbs to be used anywhere near it.

[@interstellarsurfer]

NSA is on the case. 👍

[@arandomguy4478]

But sata is being faced out already? M.2 and soldering storage directly to the motherboard

[@thomasmartin5403]

Great work as usual!

[@fredwupkensoppel8949]

10 seconds in and I want to make a bet: That was the Negev group, wasn't it? The same ppl who came up with LANtenna or the DRAM-bus-wifi?

[@fredwupkensoppel8949]

36 seconds in: Knew it. Those guys are crazy. It's like the internet thing where everything is cake, but with wireless transmitters. Next up: Turning every screw into a hotspot, fans blowing data instead of air.

[@bryanp.1327]

123456? That's amazing, I've got the same combination on my luggage!

[@johnmarkalfonso4483]

can you please have a demo? thats new as i know 5ghz freq. hard enough to penetrate a wall so how in 6ghz? maybe you will have a strong recieve to penetrate through wall to receiver 6ghz through the wall?? is that is?

[@rednassie1101]

He was way too focussed on whether he could, only to forget the question whether he should

[@jan_phd]

I've made chip photonic inter-can leaking, to bypass vias lines and form ganglion nodes. Same basic concept.

[@greenerell484]

3:25 Oh it's that guy

[@KieranCrown]

I was not ready to see Pikachu look like that 😭

[@ryanhakalmazian]

they could rap the cables in a metal to block the rf signals

[@willemschipper7736]

I really like these videos!

[@vaguetwist266]

Someone browses the Cyber Security Reddit I see ;) I started reading this paper a couple of days back because of it as well ...

[@jimmyscott5144]

A lot of new PC's use pci or m.2 ssds. I work at a school and all staff laptops and all of the desktops we have are m.2 or pci drives.

[@init_yeah]

I think there will be a niche use for it, probably on the modt important 6 bytes in the world.

[@Guillie641]

There's always a fucking MOLE IN THE BUNCH

[@greenerell484]

2:25 sounds good

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

"Now, if you've ever put a PC together, you'll be familiar with SATA cables." Oh, are you so sure? So someone who built a PC in say... the 80s or 90s and then never did it again knows about SATA cables just because of that? How do you figure?

[@samsh0-q3a]

So pedantic lol you're really showin' em.

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

@@samsh0-q3a: Nah. You don't even know what "pedantic" means. _You're_ the doof being pedantic. I'm just being _realistic,_ duh.

[@jeffbrownstain]

Researchers, not hackers. This is yet another PoC that wont see use in the wild for half a decade

[@ko-Daegu]

@Ruski S400 shot down friendly Su34M he’s not Chinese

[@jackkraken3888]

We probably wouldn't know either way. Sometimes these exotic techniques could be in place and you would have no clue it's even happening. Eg The Thing (listening device)

[@saphir8880]

Can we talk about the important things for just a moment: Thicc Pikachu

[@timothy8428]

Thiccachu

[@trueriver1950]

Surely a computer in a metal case would be safe as the box acts as a Faraday cage?

[@chemicalaffair.]

great video!

[@skatingskelly]

it was released 9 minutes ago and your comment is 6 minutes ago.. you did not finish this 10 minute video

[@marlymutos1000]

@@skatingskelly lmao 😂

[@tintinjailhouse1312]

Wish I KNEW all of THIS !! Soo Much I Will !!

[@tintinjailhouse1312]

And from THERE I Will work it out !

[@MCAlexisYT]

Turning a PSU into A FREAKING SPEAKER????

[@charlesturner897]

Sir pls do the needful and login to the PLC

[@SALTINBANK]

Ngev work with UNIT 8200 maybe ...

[@realcoy2115]

whoever gets caught doing this should get slapped in the face, hard.

[@rexrodecolt]

Yeah if people only knew. Good stuff.

[@breadsticks98]

Doubt it...

[@PexiTheBuilder]

How to protect from extracting data from SATA-cable: case closed. Case is metal = faradays cage, not perfect one, but should keep most inside.

[@tatsumasa6332]

even in a grounded case?

[@stelios2223]

Very good content.

[@hypercrack7440]

Man... Really all we did was use a Rpi for radio. Nothing new

[@archthearchvile]

Look who forgot about the null terminator

[@stavros222]

Sata cable is data logger. I never imagined such hardware hack

[@ocsanik502]

Brb, out to go buy rf blocking tape

[@matejkosynologytrontelj]

Golden and silver wires conduct electricity better than copper on longer distances and router inside computer probably whould not download and upload faster electrons are inside metals i dont know much about fiber optics cards.

[@Un_Pour_Tous]

This can be used against a cars canbus too.

[@geroffmilan3328]

Beware Linode and Pi-Hole. I decided to give their app a try, using their own vid to set it up alongside Wireguard and unbound. Total waste of time: the resulting config produced no egress traffic for the 2 test devices I tried, and I could not be arsed troubleshooting it so deleted the VM. I might run a Kali instance from Linode when need arises, but giving their Pi-Hole a hard pass.

[@HiltonT69]

Obvious countermeasures are Raid setups and also encrypted data that is decrypted in the computer (as opposed to on the drive).

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

"This technique will work on virtually all computers." Oh, so Commodore 64s, 20s, PETs, Amigas, Apple IIs, older Macs and PCs, and a bunch of other computers out there "aren't computers"?

[@Rich.AboutSuccess]

Hey I wanna Learn things like this I am a beginner in this world any book or something to help me

[@samsh0-q3a]

it's BS so.. just make something up, people will buy it.

[@MacGuffin1]

It would work on laptops but not desktops (earthed groundplane faraday cage)

[@draken5379]

I wonder if they used a neural net to work out how to expliot this. I really dont see how you could work out which random read and write ops would result in generating the right(and usable) signals. With a neural net, sure. You could code it up, and it owuld go through millions if not every possible combinations of read/writes and check the resulting signal

[@timothy8428]

Creating a useful signal would be a matter of getting the timings right and knowing the rf characteristics of the generic SATA cable and the electrical characteristics of the SATA interface. Straightforward enough with the right reference documents.

[@ghostmanscores1666]

great channel

[@zeveroarerules]

So who made the script that just shuts down all those cars?

[@edsol335]

It's okay I got nothing to hide thus no strings on me... Do you?

[@intrudery]

Would not a simple BitLocker render this ineffective?

[@victortitov1740]

since the malware uses it as an antenna to transmit arbitrary things (not the file data flowing through the cable), i suppose bitlocker won't be much of an obstacle.

[@Crysal]

wrap the entire server in foil

[@chewingz]

Why don't you enable closed captions? Nice video tho.

[@Seytonic]

KZbin messed up, working on it

[@Lucy_chan]

Hacking sata cable to transfer files. Isnt that what sata cables do? I mean not between disks but you know what i mean

[@jen_ate_that]

These videos make me so paranoid even though there’s a low chance of this happening to me specifically

[@OMER3-1-3]

vulnerabilities as complimentary 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣