Netragard is a security company that provides anti-hacking services (penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, web application security testing, etc) to its customers via the realistic reproduction of threats. In a recent assignment the client specified that the test could not use social engineering or physically access client facilities. With their work cut out for them, Netragard went onto to build a better mouse!
In his detailed post, they outline the methods used in the mouse attack. Basically they modified a Logitech USB computer mouse to include a flash drive. The hardware also included a mini USB hub and a Teensy microcontroller that ran custom attack code that compromised the attached computer. As they point out, the mouse was only the visible attack medium: any USB device could be utilized, including a missile turret, dancing stripper, chameleon, etc.
This was a sophisticated hack, with the Teensy reportedly running custom attack code designed to evade the dialogue boxes presented by the client’s known antivirus program (McAfee) and otherwise communicate with the system to evade detection. Once attached to the PC, the attack mouse phone’s home to the pen testers, connecting to Metasploit (see lower photo.)
Netragard’s article is definitely worth the read.