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Comment by super_linear | Hacker News Reader

Have been using around "USB condoms" to protect against this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T0DW3F8

The main problem with this is it doesn't allow for fast charging.

dumb question: could you cut the data line after a second or so, or does it require constant communication?

Is there a modern USB type C equivalent to this? As far as I know, a type C outlet does the power delivery handshake over the CC pin, not D+/D-.

Oh, that's news to me. That would be nice to have.

Nice just don't use any freely obtained ones! Haha

The porta-power ones you can see the physical USB data connections are absent, so probably safe even if free. But for anything else with those connections still there, free or paid, I'd be suspicious, unless I cut the data wires myself.

I've been carrying an earlier version of those in each bag many years.

They also make guaranteed data-blocking cables cables, but getting the blocker as a dongle means I can carry it plus a data cable for my phone, and not have to carry 2 cables.

(When I do find an unmarked USB cable that appears to be charging-only, like that came with a used phone and a firestarter wallwart, I destroy it.)

Nice, but as we move to USB-PD, can you even have data-free USB PD?

No, but a ubc-usb adapter and a usb-usbc adapter breaks the data path and fails back to 5v charging, which is slow, but will charge a phone.

I think it's funny that this company is able to sell these, they're effectively just usb cables with 2 of the wires cut.

No need to buy these, just take any usb cable and snip the correct 2 wires

I bought one for the car because I wanted to use a very short USB cable with a 90° plug which didn't exist as a charging-only cable.

I think it's funny how one thinks that damaging the cable sheath just to cut two cables makes one end up with a proper charging-only cable which one would actually like to carry around.

I've seen enough Apple Lightning cables which are damaged near the connector where I always think: what kind of people are these who are okay with this?

I do cut USB cables, but it's for tinkering and not for normal use.

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