WireBadgerTest Cable Kit

WireBadger™ is a self-contained cable tester that checks for embedded malicious hardware such as HAK5’s O.MG in all popular USB and Lightning cable standards. As soon as any cable is plugged in, WireBadger automatically checks for subtle current draw and wireless hotspots attributed to malicious keyloggers, payloads and attacks that derive from cables. WireBadger checks the following cables: USB-A, USB-B, USB-C, USB-Mini, USB-Micro and Lightning as well as embedded Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices.

The concept of malicious cables traces back to covert surveillance tools developed for intelligence operations, most notably the emergence of hardware implants disguised as everyday accessories. A pivotal moment came with the public exposure of Cottonmouth, a covert USB cable implant revealed in leaked intelligence catalogs in the early 2010s, which demonstrated that an ordinary-looking cable could secretly house a microcontroller, storage, and wireless radio to exfiltrate data or inject commands into a target system. This revelation fundamentally shifted security thinking: cables were no longer passive conduits for power and data, but potential attack platforms capable of bypassing traditional software defenses. As awareness spread beyond intelligence agencies into the cybersecurity community, the idea was rapidly adopted, refined, and eventually commercialized and weaponized, leading to today’s malicious cables that can emulate keyboards, network adapters, or remote backdoors – turning one of the most trusted components on a desk into a powerful physical-layer threat.

WireBadger™ includes a variety of alerts in the form of audio tones, vocal and visual colors and patterns allowing for cable verifications without having to keep a close eye on every stage of testing. This unit is perfect for penetration testers, white hats, grey hats and any security personnel looking to secure their networks from malicious cables mistakenly or intentionally brought into a network. An optional cable kit can be purchased that includes 6 cables – 3 known safe cables and 3 malicious cables to training and to ensure confidence before each testing session.

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What cables can I test?

WireBadger tests the most popular USB configurations such as USB-A, USB-B, USB-C, USB-Micro, USB-Mini and Lightning cables.

Why are there inputs and outputs?

In order to test cables for subtle current draws (indicating malicious behavior), both ends of the cable must be connected to WireBadger. The inputs include USB-A, USB-B, USB-C, USB-Micro, USB-Mini and Lightning cables. The outputs include USB-C and USB-A. This covers every popular combination on the market.