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Can their be an external IO port that is both (a) fast and (b) access limited?

-- BadUSB shows that the USB controller can fake keystrokes, modify the recipient USB controller, etc.

-- This attack now shows an even more dangerous attack that can be mounted by a malicious thunderbolt adapter (the one that you unknowingly connected by habit at a conference, say).

Trammell is giving a longer talk about this work at CCC next week. (http://events.ccc.de/congress/2014/Fahrplan/events/6128.html)

The attack is implemented (he has a demo macbook with "ThunderStruck" bootloader), and it has been disclosed to apple >400 days ago.

One aspect of the attack can be patched with 2-byte change, but apparently apple hasn't bothered.



> Can their be an external IO port that is both (a) fast and (b) access limited?

Yes. eSATA is one example. 10 gigabit Ethernet is another. DisplayPort is, for certain applications.




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