Copy machines, laptops—it's all the same to the flash drive of death.
If you were worried that your electronic devices were too secure, you can rest easy knowing that a Hong Kong company is selling a simple USB stick that has the power to instantly destroy almost any hardware system. USBkill.com calls its creation "brutally efficient".
The method of attack is not a virus or other programmable means, but an electrical onslaught—charging and discharging the device's capacitors via the USB power supply, "instantly and permanently disabl[ing] unprotected hardware", say the device's makers in apress release.
This is all in order to teach you that your devices aren't safe, even if you have the latest antivirus software installed. Physical damage is an easy way to destroy a computer without needing to meddle with the software. "Any public-facing USB port should be considered an attack vector," the makers write. "In data security, these ports are often locked down to prevent exfiltration of data, or infiltration of malware, but are very often unprotected against electrical attack."
The murderous stick can now be purchased on USBkill.com for about $56, while the protection needed to test it comes at an additional $16. If you have an Apple computer, don't worry—they have protection built in. Everyone else, take note.