

Ask HN: Hack through Power source - lakeeffect

I guess this is a pretty high level electronics question.  Is it possible to hack a computer through the power source?
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brk
In the sense of "take control", not really.

In the sense of "monitor various actions/activities", then yes (at least in
theory).

There have been some studies and experiments where you can determine what a
CPU is doing or executing by monitoring very finite changes in the current
draw of the power supply. To do this with any accuracy, you would have to
install a rather precise power monitoring device on the circuit powering the
PC itself, and most likely on the power cord going directly to the PC (so as
not to pick up electrical data from other devices on the same circuit).

You would also more than likely need brief physical access to the PC itself,
so that you could calibrate to various CPU states.

So, it is somewhat possible, but not in any practical application.

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sorbus
It's possible (but extremely improbable). By which I mean, if anyone has the
capabilities to do that, they're just as likely to extract whatever
information they need from your brain, or rewrite your mind to make you want
to give it to them.

Or realize that they have better uses for their time.

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eli
Huh?

Well, if you have control over the power, you could probably launch some
pretty effective DoS attacks.

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bayareaguy
Ordinary networking attacks could work if the system in question uses EOP
(ethernet over power).

