Don’t Take Lightning Cables from Strangers

Fast Company reports that the creator of a Lightning cable with a sneakily embedded wireless hotspot is claiming that he can now mass-produce it. While the cable isn’t a threat to iPhones, if it were to be plugged into a PC or Mac, it could give a nearby attacker access to that computer, either through Wi-Fi or over the Internet. In fact, the O.MG Cable is marketed as a malicious tool:

The O.MG Cable™ is the result of months of work that has resulted in a highly covert malicious USB cable.… The O.MG Cable allows new payloads to be created, saved, and transmitted entirely remotely.

Realistically, everyday users shouldn’t worry. The likelihood of being targeted in person by someone sophisticated enough to take advantage of the O.MG cable’s capabilities is extremely low. The takeaway is to be cautious of what cables you plug into your computer. Always buy cables from reputable suppliers, and don’t plug in cables from unknown sources.

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