20 Aug “Spy” Chips May Be Hiding in Smartphone Replacement Parts
In the recently concluded USENIX W00T ’17 security conference, Israeli researchers from the University of the Negev have demonstrated the feasibility of using a chip hidden in a smartphone replacement part to intercept data and execute commands.
Dubbed as a “chip-in-the-middle” attack, the researchers said that attackers can build the malicious parts using off-the-shelf electronics without needing any specialized machinery like those found in smartphone manufacturing factories.
The research team uploaded the videos of their demonstration on the CyberHSx channel in a YouTube playlist called Shattered Trust: When Replacement Smartphone Components Attack.
Source: Bleeping Computer