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Comment by jaywalk | Hacker News Reader

A power user wouldn't (shouldn't) expect a device merely using USB for power to pop up anything on the PC it's plugged into. That would be a dead giveaway that it's doing something it shouldn't be doing.

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I’m pretty desensitized to window’s CMD prompts popping up when I install a program or plug in a device. My Razer keyboard even installs borderline malware when you plug it in.

However, if this happened on my Mac I would immediately be skeptical.

> My Razer keyboard even installs borderline malware

What does the software do? I assume it asks for permission and you decline? In a couple of decades of buying USB keyboards I have never let one install software and I have never noticed any problems.

Razer Keyboards and Devices auto-install weird proprietary "drivers" (borderline adware), and the software they auto-install also used to give anyone root/admin privileges (borderline malware) - https://www.engadget.com/razer-mouse-windows-10-security-vul... as an example

Sometimes these crapware "drivers" are actually required for full functionality of the hardware, like assigning keys, macros, profile switching, etc...

Very good point, which is why I never even bothered to check what was advertised. I simply did not want to require anything beyond a driver that would probably go out of date anyway

They make me pretty nervous on windows too… but it's windows so I don't know enough to presume for sure I'm infected or it's just windows.

I think that train left the station when they plugged a 50,000-volt EMI generator into a USB jack. :)

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