SparkFun Forums

[inimbrium]

Hi all

I've found this mysterious USB stick/dongle. I plug it in, the light at the back lights up and stays that way, drivers apparently install, but nothing else happens. Is it a sparkfun device? Does anyone know anything about these things?



Thanks.

Inimbrium

[phalanx]

If you randomly find a USB device, the last thing you should do is plug it into your computer. A known way that crackers try to hijack or gain access to computers is to leave thumb drives on the ground that have been loaded with spyware and viruses in the hopes that someone will find it and plug it in to see what it is. For the average user, it's too late at that point.

Unless you know what you're doing, it's best to just throw stuff like that away or at the very least you should try and figure out what it is before hooking it up to a computer that's unlikely to be adequately protected.

-Bill

[DanV]

I have some development software that only runs if I have the licensing dongle plugged in.
In my case, though, it's physically labeled "SafeNet Sentinel".
In device manager, it does not show up (near as I can tell).
But in Task Manager Processes there is a process labeled "hasplms.exe" and described as "Sentinel LDK License Manager Service".
So, your device could be similar.

[theropod]

Back in the dark ages of 68xx series Macs, a II SI, I also had to have an ADB dongle plugged in to run A particular software package. Didn't think those still existed.

[lyndon]

Do you live in Australia? http://www.extremetech.com/computing/23 ... -mailboxes

[Valen]

Is it a sparkfun device?

What makes you think it comes from Sparkfun? Where you found it, was that in anyway related to Sparkfun?

I'm sure there would be a logo of them on it if they did make it or supplied it. Or if not, crack open the case and see what's inside. Make pictures of it and post them.

Yeah, anonymous USB devices have lost their innocence in recent years. Nasty stuff could be crawling or brewing inside for your computer. Even if you assume it is only a USB-flashdrive and do not intend to open the files. You OS might already have been too curious and opened what's inside. A double-click on that drive and it can have executed an Autorun executable in split seconds.

[inimbrium]

Ok thanks for all the replies.

I did plug it in and nothing happened. Next time I'll be more careful.
I live in Europe, but it's good to know this ransomware exists, again, just in case.
No new processes start or finish in task manager before, during and after plugging the device in.
The mystery continues. I'm gonna take it apart in a few weeks when I have more free time.