Thunderbolt ports may put your PC in jeopardy,Delires obscenes (1998) but only if you leave it alone with a capable and well-prepared hacker.
That's according to security researcher Björn Ruytenberg from the Eindhoven University of Technology, who outlined seven vulnerabilities in Thunderbolt, collectively called Thunderspy, in a recent paper (via Wired). The vulnerabilities are serious — a hacker who knows what they are doing could gain full access to data on a laptop that's locked and encrypted.
Laptops made before 2019 with Thunderbolt ports running Windows and Linux are vulnerable. Macs built before 2019 are a little safer, as an attacker would have to use another attack in conjunction with Thunderspy to gain access. The researcher claims the bugs cannot be fixed via a software update.
Pulling off the attack isn't easy, though. The hacker needs physical access to the machine, so they can unscrew it and attach a device to it (see Ruytenberg's video below).
Thunderbolt is a practical hardware interface as it allows for high-speed data transfer as well as charging, and it's compatible with USB-C. It was first introduced on Apple's MacBook Pro in 2011.
Thunderbolt is Intel's standard, and the company issued a response Sunday, claiming that a new security scheme called Kernel Direct Memory Access (DMA) has been implemented since 2019, protecting from these types of attacks. In his paper, Ruytenberg says that "systems supporting Kernel DMA Protection in place of Security Levels, released from 2019 onward, are currently subject to further investigation."
SEE ALSO: Apple launches 13-inch MacBook Pro with Magic Keyboard, new processorThunderbolt came under scrutiny in 2019, when security experts outlined a number of security vulnerabilities under the collective name Thunderclap, which also allow attackers with physical access to a PC to compromise its security. It's worth noting that Microsoft's recently launched Surface devices do not support Thunderbolt, allegedly due to security concerns.
Topics Cybersecurity
LSD Snowfall: An Interview with Uman by Camille JacobsonThe Review Wins the National Magazine Award for Fiction by The Paris ReviewLove Songs: “Up in Hudson” by Camille Jacobson169 Square Feet in Las Vegas by Meg BernhardMaking of a Poem: Peter Mishler on “My Blockchain” by Peter MishlerOn Paper: An Interview with Thomas Demand by Olivia KanThe Review Wins the National Magazine Award for Fiction by The Paris ReviewA Room with History by Saidiya HartmanThree Favorite Lyricists by The Paris ReviewI Could Not Believe It: The 1979 Teenage Diaries of Sean DeLear by Sean DeLear and Brontez PurnellThe Smoker by Ottessa MoshfeghLove Songs: “Being in Love” by Robert RubsamHello, World! Part Five: Two Squares by Sheila HetiAnnouncing Our Winter Issue by Emily StokesGaddis/Markson: Two Letters by William Gaddis and David MarksonMy Boyfriend Nietzsche and a Boy Like a Baked Alaska by The Paris ReviewRivers Solomon, Elisa Gonzalez, and Elaine Feeney Recommend by The Paris ReviewThe Leap by Dan BeachyLove Songs: “She Will Be Loved”? by Clare SestanovichAt William Faulkner’s House by Benjamin Nugent How the Twitter hack highlights the dangers of Slack Jay Z has officially changed his name 9 of the most hilariously British reactions to the heat wave How to file for a piece of that $117.5 million Yahoo data 'Shadow Warrior 3' developers want players to feel overpowered Beyoncé's dad tweeted about the twins and is probably having a great Father's Day 'Paper Mario: The Origami King' comes close to the originals Zoom bug allowed anyone to use a company’s custom meeting URL 7 women discovered they were dating the same guy via a Snapchat mishap. Whoops. Everything coming to Disney+ in August 2020 Moms in Portland form human shield to protect demonstrators Shut up and make the hits—Kickstarter's best projects are back with a twist Study uncovers clever way to get people to eat their veggies Lyft rides will come with plastic partition between you and driver How to livestream 'Hot Priest' Andrew Scott performing theatre in your house Chinese hackers counted on no one clicking 'update' in decade Workers hold walkouts and protests in nationwide 'Strike For Black Lives' Tinder and Delta want to help you pretend to be a world traveler on your dating profile Tyra Banks' son has mastered the art of 'smizing' in his first Instagram pic Pipeline problem? This tech company says 'No excuses' with a transparent diversity report
1.3032s , 10112.28125 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Delires obscenes (1998)】,Wisdom Convergence Information Network