USB ports found on all types of devices today can be used to inject malware. A woman had an unpleasant experience while recharging her sex toy on a computer.
Nowadays, it is no longer uncommon for electronic devices to have a USB port for charging. However, unlike smartphones, you don’t expect data to transfer when you connect your devices to a computer’s USB port. This is even less when it comes to vibrators! A Reddit user named Vegetableluck recently shared his plight. Turns out her toy — a Sexology Pussy Power 8-function rechargeable bullet vibrator from mega-retailer Spencer’s, in case you were ever curious — was infected with malware. The latter was equipped with flash memory with which it was apparently possible to communicate via USB. Also, when she plugged her sex toy into her computer through the device’s USB port to recharge it with energy, she tried to infect the PC. The incident was reported last week by security company Malwarebytes, whose antivirus was fortunately able to detect and block the malware.
The vibrator was infected with Lumma Stealer malware – also known as Lumma C2. Sold on the dark web as a subscription since 2022, it was developed to target cryptocurrency wallets, browser extensions and two-factor authentication (2FA). It retrieves sensitive information and transmits it to a server controlled by hackers. It steals cookies, usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, login history and crypto wallet data, among other things. In late 2023, Lumma was reported as one of the first malicious programs to reactivate expired session cookies specifically for Google accounts, allowing it to access Gmail accounts, but also their search history and their banking details. In short, the story could have ended very badly if the antivirus had not detected and stopped the malicious program.
It is not yet clear how the malware infected the adult toy. On the other hand, its maker, Spencer, confirmed that the problem was known and the matter is already under investigation. So this story is far from being an isolated case! Also, be careful of your computer’s USB port when you use it to charge other devices and when charging your devices in general. Not to worry if you are using a good old electrical outlet, as no data can be transferred while charging. On the other hand, if you absolutely must use a computer or recharge your devices in a public or unsecured place, via a USB port, we advise you to use a USB condom to avoid viruses. Sold for a handful of euros, this accessory allows you to block the connection’s data line so that only electricity passes through. Catching a cyber-STI would be embarrassing!
