Beware the Rubber Duckies

This report explains how Rubber Ducky-style USB HID devices impersonate keyboards to execute preprogrammed commands that can install malware, exfiltrate data, or create backdoors without user interaction, and it outlines mitigations including user training, disabling unnecessary USB ports, standardizing and inventorying approved devices, and enforcing cable/device sourcing policies. It further recommends layered technical controls—such as allowlisting, granular USB storage control by serial, and restricting powerful tools’ network access—to reduce the likelihood of successful HID-based attacks.