BusKill

{{Infobox software

| name = BusKill

| logo = BusKill_logo.svg

| logo alt = The words "Bus Kill" with “Bus” in black and “Kill” in red with blood dripping down from the letters.

| screenshot = File:buskill_v0.4_screenshot_armed_mac.jpg

| caption =

| screenshot alt = A screenshot of the BusKill app with the text reading “BusKill is currently armed.” and a big red button that says “Disarm”.

| collapsible =

| author = Michael Altfield

| developer = BusKill Development Team

| released = {{start date and age|2020|08|02}}

| discontinued =

| latest release version = v0.7.0

| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2023|06|17}}

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date =

| programming language = Python

| operating system = Linux, macOS, Windows, Qubes OS{{cite web |url=https://www.buskill.in/qubes-os/ |title=A Laptop Kill Cord for QubesOS|last=Altfield|first=Michael|date=2022-01-04|access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}

| platform =

| size =

| language =

| language count =

| language footnote =

| genre = Anti-forensic

| license = CC BY-SA, GPLv3{{cite web |url=https://docs.buskill.in/buskill-app/en/stable/license.html |title=License |publisher=BusKill |access-date=2022-07-02 |archive-url= |archive-date=}}

| alexa =

| website = {{URL|https://buskill.in}}

| standard =

| AsOf =

}}

BusKill is an open-source hardware and software project that designs computer kill cords to protect the confidentiality of the system's data from physical theft. The hardware designs are licensed CC BY-SA and the software is licensed GPLv3. BusKill cables are available commercially from the official website or through authorized distributors.

The name BusKill is an amalgamation of "Bus" from USB and "Kill" from kill cord.{{cite web |url=https://darknetdaily.com/2021/12/05/interview-with-michael-altfield-the-mind-behind-buskill-the-worlds-first-usb-kill-cord/|title=Interview with Michael Altfield, the Mind Behind BusKill - the World's First USB Kill Cord - Dark Net Daily|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211217053610/https://darknetdaily.com/2021/12/05/interview-with-michael-altfield-the-mind-behind-buskill-the-worlds-first-usb-kill-cord/|archive-date=2021-12-17 |url-status=dead }}

History

File:buskill_original_cable_2020.jpg

File:buskill_cable_2022.jpg

The first computer kill cord was built by Michael Altfield in 2017.{{cite AV media | people=Helen Leigh | date=Jan 14, 2022 | title=Teardown Session 17: OpSec and Privacy with Michael Altfield | type=Video Interview | language=English | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahnJYDBopCc&t=642s | access-date= 2022-07-02 | time = 12 minutes, 35 seconds | location=Berlin, Germany | publisher= Crowd Supply | quote=I decided to build this for myself actually in 2017, and then I published the article in 2020.}}{{cite web |url=https://thesocialtalks.com/technology/an-interview-of-michael-altfield-by-sasidhar/|title=An interview of Michael Altfield |last=Sasidhar |date=January 2022 |access-date=2022-07-14 |language=English}}

The term "BusKill" was coined by Altfield in January 2020 when publishing the first BusKill build and udev usage instructions (Linux-only),{{cite web |url=https://tech.michaelaltfield.net/2020/01/02/buskill-laptop-kill-cord-dead-man-switch/ |title=Introducing BusKill: A Kill Cord for your Laptop |last=Altfield |first=Michael |date=2020-01-02 |website=Michael Altfield’s Tech Blog|access-date=2022-07-02 |quote=This post will introduce a simple udev rule and ~$20 in USB hardware that effectively implements a kill cord Dead Man Switch to trigger your machine to self-destruct in the event that you're kicked out of the helm position.}}{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/01/03/this-20-usb-cable-is-a-dead-mans-switch-for-your-linux-laptop/ |title=This $20 USB Cable Is A Dead Man's Switch For Your Laptop |last=Winder |first=Davey |date=Jan 3, 2020 |work=Forbes |access-date= 2022-07-02 | language=English}}{{cite web |url=https://korben.info/un-cable-usb-pour-autodetruire-votre-ordinateur-sous-linux-sil-est-vole-voici-buskill.html |title=Un câble USB pour autodétruire votre ordinateur sous Linux s'il est volé ? Voici BusKill ! |author=Korben |date=2020-02-06|publisher=:fr:Korben |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=French}} and it was ported by cyberkryption from Linux to Windows a couple weeks later.{{Cite tweet |user=cyberkryption |number=1218622293271810048 |title=Here's my port of @MichaelAltfield #BusKill to windows in python |language=English|access-date=2022-07-02 |link=https://twitter.com/cyberkryption/status/1218622293271810048}}{{cite web |url=https://github.com/BusKill/buskill-windows |title=GitHub - BusKill/buskill-windows: Windows port for the BusKill Kill Cord |website=GitHub |date=4 January 2022 |access-date=2022-07-02}} The project's official website launched the following month.{{Cite tweet |user=BusKillin |number=1229349862921195520 |title=Due to popular demand, #BusKill now has a website! |language=English|access-date=2022-07-02 |link=https://twitter.com/BusKillin/status/1229349862921195520}}

The first macOS version of the BusKill app was released in May 2020{{cite web |url=https://github.com/BusKill/buskill-mac/commits/ |title=Commits · BusKill/buskill-mac · GitHub |website=GitHub |access-date=2022-07-02}} by Steven Johnson.

A cross-platform rewrite of the software based on Kivy was released in August 2020 with support for Linux, macOS, and Windows.{{cite web |url=https://github.com/BusKill/buskill-app/commits/v0.1.0 | title=Commits · BusKill/buskill-app | website=GitHub |access-date=2022-07-02}}

In December 2021, Alt Shift International OÜ ran a crowdfunding campaign to manufacture BusKill cables on Crowd Supply.{{cite web |url=https://www.golem.de/news/buskill-magnetisches-kabel-dient-als-killswitch-fuer-notebooks-2112-161861.html |title=Magnetisches Kabel dient als Killswitch für Notebooks |last=Nickel |first= Oliver |date=Dec 16, 2021|publisher=Computec |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=German}}{{cite web |url=https://gigazine.net/news/20211216-buskill-usb-cable-pc-kill-switch/ |title=ログイン中のPCが盗まれた時に強制的にPCをシャットダウンしてデータを保護してくれるUSBデバイス「BusKill」 |date=Dec 16, 2021|publisher=:jp:GIGAZINE |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=Japanese}}{{cite web |url=https://www.20minutos.es/tecnologia/cable-usb-bloquea-destruye-ordenador-proteger-datos-caso-robo-4927672/ |title=Este cable USB bloquea o destruye un ordenador para proteger los datos en caso de robo|date=Dec 17, 2021|publisher=20 minutos |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=Spanish}} The campaign raised $18,507 by January 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.crowdsupply.com/alt-shift/buskill |title=BusKill |website=Crowd Supply |access-date=2022-07-02}}

Hardware

The BusKill cable is a kill cord that physically tethers a user to their computer with a USB cable.{{cite AV media | people=Michael Altfield | date=Jan 18, 2022 | title=BusKill Cross-Platform Demo (v0.4.0)| type=Video Demo | language=English | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6eT8JSIgjw&t=65s | access-date= 2022-07-02 | time = 1 minute, 5 seconds | location=Berlin, Germany}}{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-usb-cable-kills-your-linux-laptop-if-stolen-in-a-public-place/ |title=New USB cable kills your Linux laptop if stolen in a public place |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=Jan 2, 2020 |publisher=ZDNet |access-date= 2022-07-02 | language=English}}

One end of the cable plugs into a computer. The other end of the cable is a carabiner that attaches to the user.{{cite web |url=https://docs.buskill.in/buskill-app/en/stable/hardware_usr/index.html|title=Hardware User Guide | access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}

In the middle of the cable is a magnetic breakaway coupler, to allow the cable to be safely separated at any angle without physically damaging the computer or the user.{{cite web |url=https://docs.buskill.in/buskill-app/en/stable/hardware_dev/assembly.html|title=Assembly of components| access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/programmers-usb-cable-can-kill-laptop-if-machine-is-yanked-away |title=Programmer's USB Cable Can Kill Laptop If Machine is Yanked Away |last=Kan |first=Michael |date=Jan 2, 2020 |publisher=PCMag |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}

A 3D-printable hardware BusKill cable is currently under development.{{cite web |url=https://github.com/BusKill/usb-a-magnetic-breakaway/issues/2 |title=Design Shell in FreeCAD|website=GitHub }}{{cite web |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/3d-printable-buskill-cable |title=3D Print Your Own USB BusKill Module to Protect Data |last=Hill |first=Ash |date=May 2, 2023 |publisher=Tom's Hardware |access-date=2023-05-10 |language=English }}{{cite web |url=https://www.hackster.io/news/melanie-allen-wants-to-bring-dead-man-switches-to-all-with-a-3d-printable-buskill-adapter-8383a371ee2e |title=Melanie Allen Wants to Bring Dead-Man Switches to All with a 3D-Printable BusKill Adapter |last=Halfacree |first=Gareth |date=May 8, 2024 |publisher=Hackster |access-date=2024-05-31 |language=English }}

Software

The BusKill project maintains a cross-platform GUI app that can either lock the screen or shutdown the computer when the cable's connection to the computer is severed and the app is in the "armed" state.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/560619/this-usb-dead-mans-switch-cable-for-laptops-is-one-cat-tug-away-from-catastrophe.html |title=This USB 'dead man's switch' locks down (or kills) snatched laptops |last=Crider |first=Michael |date=Dec 17, 2021|publisher=PC World |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}{{cite web |url=https://docs.buskill.in/buskill-app/en/stable/software_usr/gui.html#trigger-selector|title=Software User Guide | access-date=2023-07-22 | language=English}}

Use

If the computer is separated from the user, then a magnetic breakaway in the cable causes a USB hotplug removal event to execute a trigger in the app.{{cite web |url=https://docs.buskill.in/buskill-app/en/stable/introduction/what.html|title=What is BusKill?| access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}

The trigger executed by the BusKill cable's removal can lock the screen, shutdown, or securely erase the LUKS header and master encryption keys within a few seconds of the cable's separation.{{cite web |url=https://www.buskill.in/luks-self-destruct/ |title=LUKS Header Shredder (BusKill Self-Destruct Trigger)|last=Altfield|first=Michael|date=Dec 28, 2021|access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}{{cite web |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/buskill-usb-cable-now-available-a-pc-kill-switch-for-data-protection |title=BusKill USB Cable Now Available: A PC Kill Switch for Data Protection |last=Shilov |first=Anton |date=Dec 15, 2021|publisher=Tom's Hardware |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/12/16/buskill-kill-cord-self-destruct-laptop/ |title=This USB 'kill cord' can instantly wipe your laptop if snatched or stolen |last=Whittaker |first=Zack |date=Dec 17, 2021|publisher=TechCrunch |access-date=2022-07-02 | language=English}}

If combined with full disk encryption, then these triggers can be used to ensure the confidentiality of data or be used as a counter-forensics device.