Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device

An Indian national in the US has pleaded guilty this week to destroying 59 computers at the College of St. Rose, in New York, using a weaponized USB thumb drive named “USB Killer” that he purchased online. The incident took place on February 14, according to court documents obtained by ZDNet, and the suspect, Vishwanath Akuthota, 27, filmed himself while destroying some of the computers. USB Killer devices work by rapidly charging thumb drive capacitors from the USB power supply, and then discharging the electrical current back into the USB slot –all in a matter of seconds– effectively frying the computer to which the USB Killer device is connected.

Source: www.zdnet.com