Technical Details
The Hacknect device is a regular USB cable, but inside it hides a full-fledged hacking tool. Inside the cable, there is a microcontroller ESP32-S3, a slot for a microSD card, as well as Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth 5 (LE) modules. Presumably, all the electronics are hidden in the USB Type-A connector, which is slightly larger than Type-C — at the same time, neither of the ends looks suspiciously bulky.
Background
The Hacknect project has already become successful on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform: $16,000 has been raised with a goal of $1,160, and the campaign ends in just 21 days. Participants in the collective financing program will receive the device for 70 euros.
Industry Impact
The Hacknect device can be used for automatic execution of keyboard commands, simulation of mouse actions, and other functions. Among the declared functions are: Keystroke Injection — automatic execution of keyboard commands through HID device emulation; Mouse Injection — simulation of mouse actions and automation; Payload Slots — storage and management of multiple scripts directly on the device; Wi-Fi Triggers — wireless launch of actions from any device; One-Click Payload Deployment — instant launch of scripts with one click; Self-Destruct Mode — quick deletion of saved data and scripts.