The USB Flash Drive Designed To Self Destruct

Flash drives are some of the handiest little devices one can buy. Sometimes, moving files requires an intermediary, and this is where USB drives shine. They come in different storage sizes, with different capabilities, and, as it turns out, flash drives can be used for far more than just moving files around. Regardless of their specifics, generally, it's desired that these mobile storage options are sturdy, dependable, and capable of holding onto all kinds of data for future use. That is, unless, for whatever reason, you want your USB drive and all of its data destroyed.

If you fall into this camp, then there are far fewer options for USB storage for you — but not zero. Courtesy of Ryan Walker of Interrupt Labs, there's now an open-source USB drive that can self-destruct. Known as the Ovrdrive USB, this flash drive is capable of reversing its voltage to reach a temperature well over 100 degrees Celsius. Ultimately, this alone isn't typically enough to fry a flash chip. The idea is that if someone wants to tinker with it so that the flash chip and all other vital components could be destroyed, they could do so with only a little effort.

For many, the idea of a flash drive that can nearly cook itself doesn't sound all that useful. Then again, some may get more use out of its significantly less dangerous security measure.

In the modern era, online security is everything. It's easier than ever for bad actors to weasel their way into your private business, wreaking all kinds of havoc on your life. Odds are you're making some pretty bad cybersecurity mistakes right now without even realizing it. Fortunately, to keep yourself safe, self-destructing devices aren't entirely necessary. The minds behind the Ovrdrive USB are well aware of this, hence why the device's only security feature isn't its ability to fry itself. Even without encryption, which makes it legal anywhere that doesn't allow such security, it can keep your data safe in a pretty simple way.

When plugging in the Ovrdrive USB like normal, it will come up as blank on the average device. Even if you know there are files and other data on it, it'll still appear to be a clean slate. In this state, the USB drive's partition is purposely hidden, making it appear to the device it's plugged into as broken. This is done entirely on purpose as a safety measure. For someone to access all that may be on it, they have to rapidly plug it into the device in question three times, in addition to turning it on. This feature, coupled with the USB's standard appearance, can deceive most privacy invaders who are unaware of its capabilities.

The fact that the Ovrdrive USB can exceed 100 degrees Celsius is amazing enough, but the fact that it can still typically work after reaching such temperatures is undeniably remarkable. Be that as it may, its ability to get so hot sounds like a serious hazard, potentially one that could involve the fire department. Over on Reddit, user u/I-nigma voiced this exact concern, prompting the creator of the project under the Reddit handle u/Machinehum to explain, "There's very little possibility that the amount of energy getting pumped into the flash will cause a fire, but this is something that I need to consider." 

This is just one example of the Ovrdrive's creator peeling back the curtain when it comes to the USB drive. u/Machinehum answered a few other interesting questions regarding the Ovrdrive in the aforementioned thread. For those curious, they provided the necessary code to cement their claim of being open-source and cited the development of the Tails Project operating system as one of their sources of inspiration. On the Rootkit Labs YouTube channel, there are several videos documenting the conceptualization, creation, and more of the Ovrdrive USB, along with other technological endeavors.

From USB 1.0 to USB-C, this technology has evolved a lot over the years. Now, individual tinkerers are taking matters into their own hands, pushing USB flash drives into new directions. The Ovrdrive USB is a fascinating example of where this ingenuity could go, bringing a self-destructing memory stick — something that sounds like it belongs in a spy thriller film — to the real world.