Ask HN: What stops a random USB device from rooting Windows?
Ok so I’m learning computer security and I had an idea for an attack method and it’s so simple I wanna know if it’s already put into practice.
Basically it would be a USB device that tells the Windows system it’s a generic keyboard+mouse. Then it would simulate the entry of input something like:
1) WinKey + R
2) cmd.exe [enter]
3) [enters or pasted a malicious script]
4) await UAC prompt. Click pre-calculated dimensions for the button based on screen size/dpi ratio..
Now the entire system is rooted in under 2 seconds.
Can someone explain what mitigations if any Microsoft has put in place (prior to the recent ASR which is new and probably also vulnerable?) to disable this [fake mouse and keyboard attack] ?
Basically it would be a USB device that tells the Windows system it’s a generic keyboard+mouse. Then it would simulate the entry of input something like: 1) WinKey + R 2) cmd.exe [enter] 3) [enters or pasted a malicious script] 4) await UAC prompt. Click pre-calculated dimensions for the button based on screen size/dpi ratio..
Now the entire system is rooted in under 2 seconds.
Can someone explain what mitigations if any Microsoft has put in place (prior to the recent ASR which is new and probably also vulnerable?) to disable this [fake mouse and keyboard attack] ?