It is disturbing, but not "late breaking news".
See:
https://hakshop.myshopify.com/products/usb-rubber-ducky-deluxe
It's one thing, letting another have physical access to your device… With something like the "Rubber Ducky", you might never guess what's happening.
It's quite another, to be the unwitting agent of the undoing of your own security schema.
I would hope there would e a way to countermand such malicious firmware, and re-flash.
Yes, also, a few years ago, I bought a Sandisk U3 Cruzer flashdrive. I didn't like what I found!:
http://www.google.com/search?lr=lang_en&hl=en&q=U3+AND+Sandisk+AND+evil
On Ubuntu Linux, I found package: u3-tool
@u3-tool:
tool for controlling the special features of a U3 USB flash disk
Tool for controlling USB flash devices that conform to the U3 specifications.
You can do the following with your U3 flash:
Replace the CD image
Change the size of the virtual CD or completely remove it
Enable and disable security
Unlock and change the password of secured U3 device
Obtain various device information
I believe I still have the demon seed, and need to run it through the u3-tool grinder.
http://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=u3-tool
Here, see how THESE grab ya!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splashtop_Remote
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splashtop
I bought a used Dell XPS series desktop, without a hard drive. On the top of the tower case, is an LCD screen, that had a game of MS Windows "Solitare" going. Disabling the device in B.I.O.S. did NOT always mean this evil was vanquished and exorcised, not for EVERY boot. I found where the ribbon cable header WAS attached to the motherboard, but I'm still not confident. I also pulled the WiFi card & Bluetooth, because neither could be effectively and consistently managed, or killed/downed via software.
Maybe I'll convert to using a "Hipster PDA" ;)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipster_PDA