USB sticks and external hard drives can be a convenient way to move your data from computer to computer. The ports you plug your devices in to could be leaking your personal data, according to an Australian research team. What the group from the University of Adelaide's School of Computer Science have discovered is that USB data transfers create a significant amount of "chatter," or crosstalk. A mouse, keyboard, webcam, or printer might look innocent enough, but all could be modified to stealthily scrounge data from neighboring ports. The research team found that 90% of the 50 devices (both computers and external USB hubs) tested leaked data.

Source: Forbes August 15, 2017 14:48 UTC