BusKill Cable Will Destroy Personal Data on a Linux Laptop if Stolen

Software developer Michael Altfield has created a USB cable designed to erase all data from your Linux laptop if the device is stolen in a public place, such as a park, shopping mall, or internet café.

The idea behind the cable, called BusKill, is simple: one end connects to your laptop, and the other attaches to your belt. If someone tries to snatch your device, the cable disconnects, triggering a udev script that performs a series of actions. Users can customize what the script does according to their needs.

For example, you can set the script to lock your laptop’s screen or completely shut down the device when the cable is unplugged. For more advanced protection, you can configure the script to instantly destroy specific directories or even wipe all data from the laptop.