What is BusKill?

BusKill is the world’s first laptop kill cord–it’s a hardware Dead Man’s Switch that executes some user-configurable trigger when your machine is physically separated from you.

The trigger that’s executed when the cable’s connection is severed can either [a] lock the screen or [b] shutdown the machine.

Advanced users can add auxiliary triggers, such as a self-destruct trigger that wipes the LUKS header, making the entire disk permanently inaccessible (even to rubber-hose cryptanalysis).

Note

If you purchase a BusKill cable, or use the BusKill App, it will only ship with non-destructive triggers that will not cause data-loss.

BusKill can protect the data stored on your (encrypted) device (and any accounts that you’re currently logged-into) from a snatch-and-run thief.

Rubber Hose Cryptanalysis (source: xkcd)

Who Uses BusKill?

There are several use-cases for BusKill. It can be useful for:

✈️ Travelers

The classic use-case for BusKill is to protect a traveler’s devices and accounts when using the device in public, such as a café when taking holiday in Paris or a coworking hot desk when on a business trip in San Francisco.

BusKill can protect a tourist’s bank accounts from a snatch-and-run laptop thief when logged-into online banking.

🎙️ Journalists

In many countries, reporting the truth can be a life-threatening occupation.

BusKill can help journalists operating in an oppressive regimes keep their documents and their sources safe when the political police suddenly raid their workplace.

☮️ Activists

Many oppressive governments and businesses have imprisoned and murdered peaceful protesters.

BusKill can keep an activist’s affinity group safe when the secret police suddenly raid an organizer’s home.

₿ Crypto Traders

In the cryptocurrency space, “you are your own bank”.

BusKill can protect the private keys stored on a crypto trader’s machine while trading OTC or on an exchange.

💼 Businesses

Business has always been the backbone of infosec. Data stored on employee’s laptops (whether private keys or IP) can easily cause millions or billions of dollars in losses to a company.

BusKill can prevent an unlocked computer from ending-up in a competitor’s hands.

🕵 Military/Intelligence

BusKill can be a life-saver for intelligence operatives behind enemy lines.