WiebeTech HotPlug lets cops move desktops without shutting them down

We've seen some interesting computer forensics gear from WiebeTech before, like the Mouse Jiggler USB key that prevents a system from locking the screen or going to sleep by subtly shaking the mouse cursor, and the company's latest addition to the investigator's toolkit, the HotPlug LT, solves an equally basic problem: how to move a desktop without powering it down. The HotPlug allows cops to seize machines without powering them down by switching power to a UPS, using some interesting power-management voodoo. The investigator simply plugs the HotPlug into the computer's powerstrip, and then unplugs the strip and plugs it into the UPS -- and takes the whole system away. If the machine is plugged directly into the wall, WiebeTech also has options for directly piercing the power cable or hijacking the outlet itself. Bottom line: the Man's getting your machine, like it or not. Peep a vid of the HotPlug in action after the break.

[drannan @ Nov 6th 2007 10:25AM]

This was very interesting, but it's not mobile news.
I mean, it kinda is, since you.. er, i mean the cops can take your computer with them.

But, there was no mention of the Iphone, so it's not mobile news.

[Dualboot @ Nov 6th 2007 1:26PM]

Dude, I think you're in the wrong place, not the article...

As for the technology, I'd like to learn more about piercing power cables. Juicy...

[drannan @ Nov 6th 2007 1:36PM]

the admin moved the article this morning and didnt delete my comment.

this story originally showed up in Engadget Mobile.

[chad moulder @ Nov 6th 2007 1:28PM]

Does it come with your very own Chris Hansen, too???

[Markus @ Nov 6th 2007 2:23PM]

that's great, i hate shutting down my pc when i go to a lan party ...

[John @ Nov 6th 2007 1:32PM]

Don't use a power strip. Get a whole house supresser.

Problem solved. Continue illegal acivities.

[Ayle @ Nov 6th 2007 1:38PM]

or just use ssd with a switch allowing you to redirect the energy from the grid directly to the disk: all the data should be gone forever since it's not magnetic ^_^...

[Trevor @ Nov 6th 2007 3:43PM]

Did you even watch the video dumbass? He just showed you how to do it without a power strip. They can take the whole outlet with them.

[Andrew Jones @ Nov 6th 2007 4:24PM]

So now, the high-tech way of securing your data requires you to use a non-standard cable, where the green is hot, white is ground, and black is neutral. Voila!

Of course, that would be easily bypassed by a standard inductive current sensor... Thus [strikeout]begins[/strikeout] continues the digital arms race!

[Jesse S @ Nov 6th 2007 1:47PM]

...Shit.

[Brent @ Nov 6th 2007 1:47PM]

George Costanza could've really used this when moving his Frogger machine from the pizza parlor.

[Andrew Moskowitz @ Nov 6th 2007 2:06PM]

That was my first thought.

[Nkosi @ Nov 6th 2007 3:50PM]

LMAO, so true.

[TheDude @ Nov 6th 2007 11:14PM]

HOLES! I NEED HOLES!

[BigD145 @ Nov 6th 2007 1:50PM]

Or just set up a motion trigger for a thermite mixture inside a pseudo optical drive and it won't matter if the thing has power or not. Evidence gone!

If a technician is just going to move the case for later study, they aren't about to open the case for any reason.

[Jesse S @ Nov 6th 2007 3:24PM]

1. Thermite is hard to light, such a setup could easily fail, and then you get even MORE convictions!
2. Enjoy your arson charges!

[Denver_80203 @ Nov 6th 2007 3:56PM]

I'd love to see how long that setup works in the local meth lab.

[Joshua Walters @ Nov 6th 2007 4:07PM]

You cant get arson charges for your own things if its not insured.

Im pretty sure that there are restrictions on thermite though.

[BigD145 @ Nov 6th 2007 4:28PM]

All you need to do is give fair warning to whoever comes to your door. "Don't touch my property." If someone gets injured then all you have to say is "I warned you." You can sue them for destroying your property.

Thermite is used in welding, so I don't really see an issue with private possession. It's like fertilizer. You can buy everything you need to produce very large explosions in a single hardware store. Your name might be added to a gov't list, but there's nothing they can do to incarcerate you.

[Xee @ Nov 6th 2007 9:05PM]

You've never taken a law class in your life, have you?

[System48 @ Nov 6th 2007 2:02PM]

Nothing beats a shredder,
http://www.semshred.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/1fa40d4e151e0485a1d8f9147a81ff38/full/harddrive_destruction_big.jpg

[JosephMohmed @ Nov 6th 2007 3:00PM]

Or a Blendtec Blender.

[Jesse S @ Nov 6th 2007 3:25PM]

The platter could still be reassembled and read. It's just a matter of time, and money.

The only way to get rid of HDD data is to melt the platter.

[Znuff @ Nov 7th 2007 3:00AM]

Or blend it... :D

[ken @ Nov 6th 2007 2:06PM]

So what happens if it isn;t plugged into a power strip and straight into the wall like a lot of people do. Kinda messes things up!

[blackfeather @ Nov 6th 2007 2:11PM]

you should watch the video, or better yet, just read the article.

[Luke @ Nov 6th 2007 2:36PM]

oWn3d!

[Loonie @ Nov 6th 2007 2:43PM]

So remember, folks, if you're engaged in potentially incriminating computer activity, make sure to add a crude and very basic low power RF controlled circuit breaker to the inside of the computer. Hide the weak transmitter unit nearby. If the computer is moved beyond the range of the transmitter, have the circuit breaker bridge the power switch. Or have it cut the power. Or have it divert 110-240V of power to the HDD. Your choice.

Hell, you could even use a motion sensor inside that does the same thing if it 'feels' like it's being moved. You could hide such a device anywhere in the case. Even in the PSU.

[Jon @ Nov 6th 2007 2:51PM]

Some of you have thought about this for far too long.

[Loonie @ Nov 6th 2007 3:46PM]

Er, it didn't really take long.

[Joe @ Nov 6th 2007 4:53PM]

I think its important to think about these things. I am currently a student in the digital forensics field and knowing that and checking for things such as those mentioned by Loonie are a great help. Also, being able to move the pc while still connected is great for off site "live" exams.

[tekdemon @ Nov 6th 2007 5:58PM]

Actually, since it'll take them a little while to move your PC and since they're keeping it on for you, you should probably just rig the detector to trigger the hard drive overwrite procedure, so that by the time they start looking into what your hard drive contains it'll be clean as a whistle, lol.

[Alistair loveless @ Nov 6th 2007 2:46PM]

and here i thought a ram-disk was the Ace up my sleeve.

[Mike @ Nov 6th 2007 3:00PM]

Who wears a suit when hijacking a power outlet?

Weirdo.

[justin @ Nov 6th 2007 3:03PM]

Didn't see this - a link to the manufacturer's page:

http://www.wiebetech.com/products/HotPlug.php

[docjohnboy @ Nov 6th 2007 3:05PM]

VOODOO!

[Matt @ Nov 6th 2007 3:18PM]

I saw this last week. Very cool and very impressive.

[Jesse S @ Nov 6th 2007 3:28PM]

Or you can use gigabyte's ram-drive thing that lets you use your volatile RAM as an HDD.

Got incriminating evidence to hide? Cut the power to it or touch it.

And what's the point of the mouse jiggler? I always lock my PC before I even get up.

[JiveMasterT @ Nov 6th 2007 3:58PM]

Excellent. So when they toss it into the back of the police car and drive back to the station and throw it around the whole way into the evidence room it will eventually head crash your drive(s). I've seen hard drives that are parked in computer cases go bad after a 30 min car ride... I can only imagine with them spun up how much damage a car ride would do.

[Ayle @ Nov 6th 2007 4:05PM]

Would that thing work if the computer you wanted to seize was running let say:
4 8800 gtx in quad sli
the most power hungry cpu you can find
8gb of ram
8 10k rpm disks
4 bd burners already burning something
a physx card
one of those network perf enhancing card
all that while running 3dmark06 and f@h
?

[Mike @ Nov 6th 2007 4:40PM]

The idiot that's doing all that at the same time has other problems besides the police trying to confiscate his rig.

[Random5 @ Dec 14th 2007 6:01AM]

Depends on the size of the UPS. A system running all that might draw 3X the power of the regular system, but if the UPS is good for 2 hours and the station's ~30 minutes away you're still screwed.
Not to mention decent UPS's will show how long they have left to run and the cops can see it's going down rather fast and plug it into a 2nd ups, run it off an inverter in the car, whatever.

[Chris.L @ Nov 29th 2007 4:01PM]

Well unfortunately most of the cops who will ever cease a computer, do not know shit about it.
When the cops ceased mine, I could tell they didn't know what the **** they were doing as they were working on unplugging everything.
They even admitted that they didn't know much about technology in general (in french, but I could understand).

[Mike @ Nov 6th 2007 4:41PM]

The police had to seize your PC. That's great. You're a cool guy, I'm sure.

[joey @ Nov 6th 2007 4:42PM]

Exactly how is this useful? Why does the police have to have the computer on? Why not just shut it down? and take it?

[John @ Nov 6th 2007 4:53PM]

For one thing, if it's shut down that will clear certain types of memory. Second, if the computer is logged in, turning it off will log it out. Plus active processes will cease running,etc, etc, etc

[watt @ Nov 7th 2007 9:54AM]

Boot password, maybe?

[joey @ Nov 6th 2007 6:07PM]

thanks for the info, do you mean like lime wire, file sharing? stuff like that?

[John @ Nov 6th 2007 4:55PM]

I think that if you're doing some seriously badass stuff with your computer, you're A) going to be relying on more than the cops having to unplug your computer as security and B) going to be in a country where the cops don't really care

[McFly @ Nov 6th 2007 5:30PM]

i just love the way he grips on to the metal shaft of the screwdriver before sticking it into a hot plug.