BusKill

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BusKill
Original authorMichael Altfield
DeveloperBusKill Development Team
Initial releaseAugust 2, 2020; 5 years ago (2020-08-02)[1]
Stable release
v0.7.0 / June 17, 2023; 2 years ago (2023-06-17)
Repository
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Written inPython
Engine
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    Operating systemLinux, macOS, Windows, Qubes OS[2]
    TypeAnti-forensic
    LicenseCC BY-SA, GPLv3[3]
    Website

    BusKill is a project that makes a physical cord intended to lock a computer when the user walks away.

    It 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.

    History

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    File:Buskill original cable 2020.jpg
    The original BusKill prototype from 2017
    File:Buskill cable 2022.jpg
    The BusKill Kit in 2022

    The first computer kill cord was built by Michael Altfield in 2017.[5][6]

    The term "BusKill" was coined by Altfield in January 2020 when publishing the first BusKill build and udev usage instructions (Linux-only),[1][7][8] and it was ported by cyberkryption from Linux to Windows a couple weeks later.[9][10] The name BusKill is an amalgamation of "Bus" from USB and "Kill" from kill cord.[11]

    The project's official website launched the following month in February 2020.[12]

    The first macOS version of the BusKill app was released in May 2020[13] 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.[14]

    In December 2021, Alt Shift International OÜ ran a crowdfunding campaign to manufacture BusKill cables on Crowd Supply.[15][16][17] The campaign raised $18,507 by January 2022.[18]

    Hardware

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    The BusKill cable is a kill cord that physically tethers a user to their computer with a USB cable.[19][20]

    One end of the cable plugs into a computer. The other end of the cable is a carabiner that attaches to the user.[21]

    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.[22][23]

    A 3D-printable hardware BusKill cable is currently under development.[24][25][26]

    Software

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    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.[19][27][28]

    Use

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    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.[29]

    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.[30][31][32]

    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.

    See also

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    References

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    4. ^ https://www.buskill.in/buskill-onion-service-tor/
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