Tag Archive for: USBC

USB-C: Introduction For Hackers | Hackaday

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We’ve now had at least five years of USB-C ports in our devices. It’s a standard that many manufacturers and hackers can get behind. Initially, there was plenty of confusion about what we’d actually encounter out there, and manufacturer-induced aberrations have put some people off. However, USB-C is here to stay, and I’d like to show you how USB-C actually gets used out there, what you can expect out of it as a power user, and what you can get out of it as a hobbyist.

Modern devices have a set of common needs – they need a power input, or a power output, sometimes both, typically a USB2 connection, and often some higher-speed connectivity like a display output/input or USB 3. USB-C is an interface that aims to be able to take care of all of those. Everything aforementioned is optional, which is a blessing and a curse, but you can quickly learn to distinguish what to expect out of a device based on how it looks; if ever in doubt, I’d like to show you how to check.

Communicating Capabilities, Configurations and Caveats

We all know that USB-C can be rotated – it lets you insert the cable whichever way around — which was a significant improvement over USB-B. Let’s get down to how this works. To make this possible, there’s a CC (Configuration Channel) connection – a single-wire line in every USB-C cable that attaches to one of the two CC pins in the Type-C connector, and it is essential to making USB-C work. For simple USB-C usecases, like “get USB 2.0 and 5 V out of a port, follow a simple recipe – attach a 5.1 kΩ pulldown to each CC pin, and you will have a USB-C port that will work with all reasonable devices out there.

There’s support for stuff beyond 5 V and USB 2.0 in USB-C, of course. You can get a variety of voltages out of a USB-C port, which is quite handy for charging things like laptops. You can get USB 3, DisplayPort, and Thunderbolt. Most laptops will let you connect a docking station taking advantage of USB-C as much as possible, giving you a high-resolution display, plenty of USB ports and charging all over the same cable. Now, how does that work?

For usecases like voltages larger than 5 V (USB-PD) or high-speed connectivity…

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Yubico Security C NFC is a cheap USB-C security key for phones and PCs

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Yubico’s latest security key is the Security Key C NFC, a cheaper alternative to the company’s existing YubiKey 5C NFC. The new product enables users to easily secure their Android smartphone, iPhone, or computer running Windows 10 using a physical key that makes it much harder for hackers to infiltrate an account.

The new Yubico Security Key C NFC features both USB-C and NFC, making it compatible with the majority of phones and PCs on the market. This new model, which is priced at $29 USD, supports FIDO U2F and FIDO 2.

The security key can be used with a variety of popular online services and software, including YouTube, Dropbox, Brave, Edge browser, Facebook, Twitter, Coinbase, Google accounts, Microsoft accounts, and more. Interested consumers can explore the platforms that support Yubico’s Security line of keys on its website here.

As with other security keys from Yubico and competitors, the Security Key C NFC features a design similar to a slim thumb drive, including a hole for attaching it to a keychain. The device also sports a fiberglass-reinforced body for durability. The big benefit here is the NFC support in addition to USB-C, enabling users to authenticate logins by tapping the security key to the back of the device.

The Yubico Security Key C NFC is priced at $29 USD for a single unit, while multi-packs are also available up to a tray of 50 keys. The security key should meet the needs of the average consumer, though business professionals and others who need additional protocol support can turn to the $50 YubiKey 5 Series, which includes support for things like Smart Card, OpenPGP 3, and more.

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Google’s new Titan security key lineup won’t make you choose between USB-C and NFC

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Google announced updates to its Titan security key lineup on Monday, simplifying it by removing a product and bringing NFC to all its keys. The company will now offer two options: one has a USB-A connector, one has USB-C, and both have NFC for connecting to “most mobile devices.” The USB-A key will cost $30, and the USB-C key will cost $35 when they go on sale on August 10th.

One of the biggest changes in Google’s new lineup is an updated USB-C key, which has added NFC support. Google’s previous USB-C option, made in collaboration with Yubico, didn’t support the wireless standard. Now, the choice between USB-C and A is easy, as there aren’t features that one has that the other doesn’t. It’s simply a matter of what ports your computer has. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Yubico was involved with the new key.

According to Google’s support document, its Titan security keys can be used to protect your Google account as well as with third-party apps and services that support FIDO standards, such as 1Password. They, and other security keys from companies like Yubico, can act as second factors to secure your account even if an attacker obtains your username and password. They also fight back against phishing since they won’t authenticate a login to a fake website that’s trying to steal your credentials. The Titan keys also work with Google’s Advanced Protection Program, which is designed to provide extra security to people whose accounts may be targeted.

Google’s current USB-A security key already includes NFC and sells for $25. The USB-A plus NFC key that Google lists in its blog post will sell for $30, but it comes with a USB-C adapter. The USB-A key currently listed on the store doesn’t include one, unless bought as part of a (sold-out) bundle, according to Google’s spec page.

Google’s NFC / Bluetooth / USB key, which was made available to the public in 2018, will no longer be sold as part of the updated lineup. It’s already listed as sold out on Google’s store page. Google’s blog post says that it’s discontinuing the…

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A custom USB-C cable can jailbreak the T2 chip in a MacBook Pro

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The security researchers that found a vulnerability in Apple’s T2 chip have developed an exploit using a clone of an internal debugging cable that can hack a Mac without user action. Earlier in …
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