Malware Infection via USB stick

Is it possible to infect a Mac with malware simply by mounting an infected usb stick?

There is nothing known that is capable of doing that.
There is a supposed piece of malware that has been written about by a very well-known security researcher, Dragos Ruiu, who has called it badBIOS. According to his claims, this malware can do some amazing things, including copy itself via USB. However, the claims seem to be a bit too amazing, and not a single security researcher has managed to verify any of it. Most security experts seem to think that this either doesn't exist or is being seriously exaggerated.
Since this sort of thing isn't something that can be hidden from hordes of knowledgeable and determined security researchers for long, my personal opinion is that it's mythological.
Is there a reason in particular that you're asking this?

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How is it possible to install Windows 7 via USB-Stick on a 2009 iMac with a broken DVD-Drive?

Hello,
i have a 2009 iMac and Windows 7 64bit in my Boot Camp.
Windows is now slow and needs to be reinstalled.
The problem is the DVD-Drive in my iMac is broken, so i can't use my Windows-install-DVD.
How can i reinstall Windows 7 via USB-Stick on a 2009 iMac with a broken DVD-Drive?

F3Spirit wrote:
Thank you,
I try this.
Also check this one out
But i think you would be far better served by installing Windows in a virtual machine.

How to synchronize multiple computers via usb stick?

I have three computers on which I work most of the time and I have some files, that I have to access/change on all three and thus I have to sync these files. I would like to do this using an usb stick. To do so, I formatted a partition on my usb stick as ext4 (without journaling) and then use unison to synchronize the files from one computer to the usb stick when I'm done working on one computer and before I start, I do the same.
Unfortunately, I have different uid and gid on the different computers (and I cannot change that as I'm not admin on every one). Unison can still take readable files from the usb stick and store them with my `correct' local uid, but unfortunately it cannot create new files/folders on the usb stick, as the folders are often with rwxr-xr-x permission.
There are some suggestions, such as here to simply change the ownership of all files recursively, but since I'm not root, I cannot do that. (Additionally this solution does not feel optimal, as I would have to change the permission bits with every mount -- and this is probably not the best to do to an usb stick(?).)
So after the whole lament my actual questions:
o Is there a file system, that can store permissions (such as redable/writable with user and group support), but that I can mount with changed permissions (e.g. translate uid=1023 to uid=17011 while mounting but leavin the actual bits set) and that is suitable for use with an usb stick?
o Is there a tool to mount/remount the usb stick with `translated' permissions?
o Is there any other solution you could think of to accomplish my syncing? (Keep in mind, that sky/cloud drives are no possibilities, as not all of my computers have internet access.)
Note: The permissions (which file is rwx and which is only r--) is actually something I want to preserve during this sync-process -- that's why I used ext4 in the first place.
Last edited by skunk_junior (2013-05-31 12:40:12)

Trilby wrote:I'm confused, you say you want to preserve the permissions, but you also say you want to change them all to readble.
I don't want to change the permissions stored on the usb stick. I just want identical files on all my three systems (also with the permissions set correctly), but I want to use my local uid instead of the uid stored on the stick. So that the mounting system does not see ``uid=1023 has rwx for file /mnt/foo'', as it's stored on the usb stick, but I want it to see ``uid=17011 has rwx for file /mnt/foo''.
I Imagine some tool like a table that links the actual, stored, uid on the stick (1023) to the one, I want my system to perceive (17011).
If I make a file executable, I want to keep that information. If I store that file on a fat, it's lost.
Last edited by skunk_junior (2013-05-31 13:08:40)

General question - deploying via drac/iLO vs. USB stick inconsistencies

This is going to be kind of a general question and see if anyone has experienced something similar and if there is a better way to go about this.
I have the need to send a Windows 2008 r2 image to a new data center via USB stick. I built my task sequence and created an ISO from it and mounted it in virtual media in an HP iLO session and built a physical server to test the task sequence. This
was just a test to see if the build was good. It was.
So I used an ISO to USB tool to put the ISO on USB stick to make it bootable media. I built the same server via the USB device. The build got 90% of the way through and during one of the last reboots, it comes up to "Preparing your computer
for first time use" and immediately reboots itself.
I have had this experience before where building via a USB stick gives me different results than deploying the same ISO via iLO/drac. Any clue why that might be? It's very frustrating and I can't pinpoint any differences.

I don't know exactly what happened, but a couple of observations based on your description:
- Are you using bootable media or stand-alone media? If bootable, non task sequence info whatsoever is but on the media. If stand-alone, why are you using stand-alone instead of bootable?
- Why not directly build the media on a USB device using the console instead of converting the ISO? There are inconsistencies with this at best because of drive letter changes that the media takes into account.
Jason | http://blog.configmgrftw.com

Booting from USB Stick

Hi there,
I am trying to install Windows 7 via USB stick on my Lenovo S10e. I really tried ALL tutorials and guides on the internet. But they do not work for me. My USB stick is not recognized by the S10e. Tried different booting sequences and so on.
The funny thing is, the USB stick itself is working on all other PCs and Laptops I managed to try. So there must be something wrong with my Lenovo.
I am actually using the latest .94 bios and everything is working fine. Is there maybe a problem with my Corsair 4GB stick and the combination ? I would really appreciate any help. Thx !

Hi welcome to lenovo forum...
if you prepare your stick with HP Storage Formatter...
sometimes it could be working try this USB Flip
try format with ntfs instead of fat 16 fat 32 ...
sincerely KalvinKlein
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AT300SE working with Internet stick via USB?

Usually, I go online with my Tablet AT300SE when logged in to a WiFi-Network. For the rare cases where there's no WiFi available, I'd like to go online via a USB-Internet-Stick (AT300SE supports USB host-functionality, cable mini-USB <-> USB A exists). I got a stick Huawei173 (configured and working without problem on an old WIN XP Notebook) which is told to work with Android devices, too. My Android 4.1.1 "settings" shows WLAN and Bluetooth, but does not detect the Huawei-Stick.
Should I use another stick? Is this a problem of my Android-Version? Does it work at all?
Thanx a lot for helping me, best regards
Knobelix

In my opinion such stick would not work but its my personal opinion.
I guess the usage of external 3G USB sticks is not supported and such external UMTS sticks are not compatible
However, please report your results (if you have tested any other sticks)

I have mobile internet at the moment via a USB stick in my laptop. Can I connect my Timecapsule with a cable to this laptop and make it into a wifi station??

I have mobile internet at the moment via a USB stick in my laptop. Can I connect my Timecapsule with a cable to this laptop and make it into a wifi station so that I can use my iPad?
THanks for your help!

for #1
Frequently asked questions about Apple ID - Apple Support
I have multiple Apple IDs. Is there a way for me to merge them into a single Apple ID?
Apple IDs cannot be merged. You should use your preferred Apple ID from now on, but you can still access your purchased items such as music, movies, or software using your other Apple IDs.
If you are wondering how using multiple Apple IDs relate to iCloud, see Apple IDs and iCloud.
for #2
Apple does not accept unsolicited ideas see Apple - Legal - Unsolicited Idea Submission Policy

?move app-created files from ipod touch to standard usb stick via pc

Hi,
I would be grateful if anyone can help with this question:
How do I
backup app-content-files-I-created to a standard usb stick
which may involve locating where they are on my pc
remove app-content-files-I-created from iTunes and from my pc
(the app in question is the adorable DM1 by Fingerlabs)

App data is included in the backup that iTunes. The backup is located here. Yu can copy to USB stick and then delete the file from your computer.
Where iTunes backups are stored on your computer
The folder where your backup data are stored varies depending on the computer's operating system. Make sure the backup folder is included in your periodic data-backup routine.
iTunes places the backup files in the following places:
Mac:~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup/
Windows XP:\Documents and Settings\(username)\Application Data\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
Note: To quickly access the Application Data folder, click Start, and choose Run. Type %appdata% and click OK.
Windows Vista and Windows 7:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\
Note: To quickly access the AppData folder, click Start. In the search bar, type %appdata% and press theReturn key.

Upgraded to osx lion via bootable USB stick but start up now just hangs on the grey apple screen

Hi. I've just recently upgraded from snow leopard to osx lion 10.7.3 on my laptop and it works perfectly! However I then tried installing on desktop and problems......
1. I got the 'the error can't install message' so after researching' I made a bootable USB stick with lion on it.
2. Installed on start up from bootable USB stick, no problems their.
3. Restarted and it just hangs in the grey apple screen.
I've reset the PRAM, started in safe mode, fixed disk permission etc, Even done this (http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20070204093925888).
I'm going to leave the grey screen over night to see if it does start up, but then we have the problem of an extremely slow start up.
So.... I am posting this to find out if anyone else has this problem and fixed it without having to do a full clean install as some data like email lists etc I never backed up (I know stupid).
Hope someone can help as i am lost on what else to try.
HELP!?!?!?
Dan.

Update 01.03.12
Computer is starting now but.... It takes 10 minutes and that is without my sound card, hardware and external hard drives plugged in, gonna test that now.
Are their and fixes for slow start ups?
Dan.

A terminal for users to scan USB sticks before they use them on the domain?

I've use stand alone sheep dips a lot, however...
Make sure you connect them to an isolated network connection to the internet for updates once a day, this must be separate (use a different VLAN and ACL if you have to).
The machine must be rebuilt, or have two and rotate them on a regular basis (each week?) or when an infected USB device is inserted (don't risk other devices), at this point format, format and format a few more times that USB stick before it's allowed to be removed!

Anyone else come up with anything like this or have any recommendations for how they did it or what they used?We're fairly tight here when it comes to malware, our firewalls scan incoming and outgoing traffic, we run Kaspersky on our servers alongside Webroot as well as Webroot on our user end points.Yet stuff still gets through, we recently got hit by a crypto which wiped out our finance file share (lucky we have backups), it avoided KES and that's actually why we've been running Webroot along side it. It's very very likely that this came in via a USB stick (avoiding 40k worth of enterprise firewalls), our users are very carefree when it comes to where they get them and what they do with them. External contractors and alike have been allowed to use their USB sticks on domain machines and it's been an uphill battle to get people to...
This topic first appeared in the Spiceworks Community

Efi update via usb flash drive?

I would like to know if there is a way to perform an efi update via a usb flash drive?

tried the latest 2010 build, got the same problem: 'missing operating system' and again in ubuntu the flash drive is an unknown filesystem.
tried again on a different computer and got the same error.. how frustrating!
edit: just to clarify i used the following command 'sudo dd if=path/to/image.img of=/path/to/device' i also changed directory to where the image file is and tried again without absolute referencing the path for 'if=' both of which returned that the command had been completed successfully in terminal.
edit: tried using again with a different USB stick (Maxell 4GB), again terminal returned 'x amount of files successfully copied to sdc1'.
.. something different happened this time, i didn't get the same error as before, instead the text 'grub' appears with a blinking cursor. nothing else.
Last edited by muckymouse (2010-05-07 23:54:10)

Problem with T60 and USB Sticks

All -
I can't understand it but I have a huge problem with USB devices and my T60.
EVERY USB device works 100% fine - despite of USB memory/HDD/other memory devices.
Neither USB HDD or USB Sticks nor a SD drive via USB - no media is accecpted.
I always get back: "Media not formatted".
If I do format everthing works - but only with this notebook.
So I am not able to share data with other computer - or not able to get my pics from my cam...
Please can you help?
Thank you very much in advance,
iBigfoot
Message Edited by ibigfoot2008 on 09-05-2008 10:04 AM
Message Edited by ibigfoot2008 on 09-05-2008 10:05 AM
Message Edited by ibigfoot2008 on 09-05-2008 10:05 AM

I hate to say it, but I agree with carbon_unit, this sounds like a Windows problem.
As a long shot you could try uninstalling all USB hubs in Device Manager, re-install the Chipset Drivers and restart the sytem to allow the USB hubs automatically installed again. I doubt this will help, but it's all I could think of.
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Blue Screen of Death when transferring via USB - "DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"?

So I have very recently built a computer, and I've noticed that when I'm transferring files via USB the computer will BSOD.
I'm completely perplexed. All my drivers are up to date, as is my BIOS, and I don't know what to do.
Here's the minidump. http://www.filedropper.com/021915-12578-01

Hi,
Please post the entire error message.
Please identify your notebook/pc with more than the series number.
Look at the base/rear/side of the notebook/pc at the barcoded sticker.
Post items numbered 1 and 2 on the following image. Your barcode may be slightly different but will still have the important imformation needed for us to help you.
###Do not post the serial number as it is personal information.###
Post the installed operating system version ( and whether it is 32 or 64-bit )
Not posting the information as requested will delay our responses and troubleshooting of the issue that led you to author a thread.
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IPOD CONNECTIVITY PROBLEM WITH WINDOWS XP VIA USB 2.0

Enough is enough.
I have an ipod touch and I am having difficulty connecting it to my pc via usb 2.0.
I have searched the entire web and came across many cases similar or the same as mine. It's time for apple to face the fact that there is something wrong with either the apple mobile service or the apple usb drivers or the itunes software that causes connectivity problems with win xp.
For the record my case is this:
I got my itouch 3 days ago. I installed itunes 8.0. Then I plugged in my ipod to a usb extension cable port connected to a usb at the back of my desktop computer. At first I got the "this usb device can perform faster if you plug it to a usb 2.0 port etc." message. So I did. I removed the extension cable and connected it directly to one of the usb ports at the back. The first time it synchronized, it seemed fine. So I decided before I do anything with it, to update it to the 2.1 version. I made my account and bought (very bad policy there apple, it should be free or at least cheeper than 8 euro) the 2.1 update. I clicked to update the i-touch. While it was updating it crashed during the restore process (because it was disconnected but I didn't know that at the time). I unplugged it, resetted and plugged it back and managed to continue the restoring process until it was updated. After figuring out itunes I chose the "manage files manually option", kept everything unchecked in the sync options except the applications. I noticed there were random disconnections here and there but I didn't pay much attention because they weren't very frequent.
The next day I plug in the touch again and suddenly I hear that annoying "connecting-disconnecting" sound from windows while my touch kept disappearing and reappearing in itunes. Suddenly my playlists disappeared from the touch. Nothing was in the touch any more. How could that happen since i had chosen to manage my files manually instead of synchronizing? So I unplugged the touch again, restarted the touch, restarted the pc, stopped and restarted the apple mobile service, unistalled and reinstalled itunes, searched microsoft support and read many usb troubleshooting documents in the web. Nothing happened. The touch randomly keeps disconnecting from the usb. I eventually managed to put my stuff back in and keep them there.
Here's what I know:
1) There is nothing wrong with my usb ports. I don't use usb hubs, they are usb 2.0, the voltage (500mA) is correct in the device manager. Everything else works fine there.
2) The ipod touch does not support disk mode so you can't see it under "my computer" and this is not a problem.
3)There is nothing wrong with the ipod, it works perfectly.
4) This is not a usb cable physical problem.
5) The five R's are irrelevant with this situation.
Uninstalling and reinstalling itunes doesn't solve the problem, neither does hard resetting the ipod.
6) Older PC configurations seem to be more affected by this but it doesn't have to do with unsupported specific chipsets.
Here's what needs investigating:
1) There may be a problem with the apple mobile service running on win XP.
2) There may be a problem with the apple usb driver and win XP or older motherboards.
3) There may be a 2.1 firmware issue with usb 2.0 connectivity.
Workaround so you don't go nuts:
Use USB 1.1 instead of 2.0. It is A LOT slower but it keeps the connection stable and you can work with the ipod. Just start copying and go do something else for the next hour. So far it works for me.
This is a serious issue that needs immediate attention. I've stumbled across forum discussions dating to 2005 with this problem (with older ipods of course).

I think this needs to be put down to the eternal PC/Mac argument. Apple dont want to fix this as they want everyone to buy a Mac. Its a business, understandable, but in turning away PC buyers they alienate a huge percentage of the market.
Now, I had my first iTouch stolen. It synced, for the most part, very well, just occasionally it removed settings and music, but ticking boxes each time I sync'd sorted that, Its a workflow procedure.
SO, now that my Touch has been replaced, iTunes cannot see it. The PC can identify it on USB1 or USB2, My work lap top can see it and has indeed upgraded it to V2 software, just in case that was the issue, but no. For some really weird reason Itunes on my desktop cannot see the new pod.
This does not make sense with the argument that Apple software doesnt work on a PC, but doesnt help that none of the Apple support staff, phone or in-store have a clue about Windows operations.
Because my Touch has now been trying to connect to 6 separate installs of itunes, multiple USB ports, multiple USB cables, a complete overhaul of the registry settings (everything else still works), and the loss of all my previous settings and backups from the last Touch... but still, the PC says its an ipod but cant install it, iTunes sits there, dumb.
The only thing I can do now is sell the device as brand new as it has never had music on it and is just a week old...
It has changed the MiniMac I was going to have for my new flat screen TV into a PC and suggests that anyone with a PC should stick to devices that run on PC, of which there are many, just without the user interface of the dear departed IPod Touch.
Thanks

My new HD with a cloned system and apps won't boot the G5 when installed. The clone drive is being journal formatted via usb with OS9 checked in disk utility. First time around, I didn't check OS9, and the G5 didn't boot from the clone drive. Advice?

My system is a G5 PPC with 2x 2Gig 64bit processors (dual core). 6 gig of ram on board, running OSX 10.4.11. I recently discovered the main drive was actually a laptop drive someone had stuffed in there! (The machine was given to me - yes, really). So I bought a nice new WD Caviar Black 500Gig HD. Hooked it up via usb adapter (G5 won't see it internally). Disk Utility saw it, formatted it with Journal option selected, but not OS9 install.
After that, I cloned the data on the slow laptop drive complete with all the applications onto the Caviar HD.Sure enough, the G5 can see the Caviar HD with everything on it.
However, when putting the Caviar HD in where the laptop drive once was, the G5 would not see the disk at all.
So now, I'm reformatting the drive again but this time with OS9 checkbox ticked in Disk Utility. After this, I will install it into the machine alongside the offensively sluggish laptop drive, and as long as the G5 sees the Caviar HD internally, I will clone from there, rather than via USB hookup.
I hope this way the system will speed up! There's no way the machine is running as it can do with a pokey little laptop drive in it spinning at 5k surely!
I am assuming the Tiger 10.4.11 is genuine (I think it is - the X symbol is present on the folder), but I don't have the original disk...
Any suggestions? Has anyone had this experience?

Hi BDAqua... downstairs away from unit at the moment. It's a Western Digital Caviar Black 500Gig, twin processors, SATA3 / 6, 64Meg cache on-board... nice. Very quite with minimal vibration (slight).
However as I'm here I can announce I've solved the problem! The G5 had an original Seagate Barracuda HDD on board as a slave drive. I backed up the dat off that onto the Caviar Black via USB adapter. Then Disk Utility wiped the Barracuda safely.
Then, I installed SuperDuper! to clone the data from the sluggish laptop master drive onto the Barracuda; I also told SuperDuper! to boot the G5 from the newly image Barracuda.
After it had done the job I switched off the machine (it may well have rebooted - I was downstairs watching England fail at Eurovision Song Contest), took out the laptop drive and started up the G5.
Mercifully, it rebooted fine! All details and programs are intact and functioning right down to my screensaver.
I can report that the machine is noticably (considerably in the case of Logic8 and JamPack) faster and swifter at sourcing data.
Everything is backed up and I now have a speedier G5! Hurrah!!
I now have a spare 80Gig drive to hand in a caddy (originally a spare backup) that was made about the same time as the G5. It's my guess that it would fit the G5 internally and probably be seen ok by the system.
It's worth a try. The Caviar Black will have to go into a caddy and become my backup disk. It has a clone of the OS and all apps, so if something goes badly wrong, I'm safe.
Just a thought: The more advanced Leopard and Snow Leopard OS may struggle in G5's because the OS itself may require faster HDD's that cannot go into the G5 normally? I see many reports of Snow Leopard running like a bag of bones in people's G5's. Perhaps it's something to do with data retrieval speeds?
I'm sticking with Tiger!
I hope this story has assisted someone somewhere... and many thanks to all you kind people who offer to help.
When Humanity's back is against the wall, this is how civilization will restart and re-establish... guys like us solving problems at desks, on PC's and in garden sheds!

Malware Infection via USB stick

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