A USB stick lies in a train and invites users to copy its contents and pass it on. However, what is found on it disappoints on many levels.
What is on the USB stick? The resolution to this can be found further down, but first it is interesting why the story is getting so much attention: The BagarDoge is seeking advice out of curiosity and concern. He posted a picture of a USB stick with the inscription “free to copy, then share”.
The Reddit community reacted en masse:
- As of mid-July 2024, the number of upvotes stands at over 20,000 and the number of comments at nearly 4,000.
Also mysterious and at first glance rather unsettling are USB sticks embedded in walls waiting for users to connect their devices. We explain what’s behind it:
What are Reddit users saying? Under the post, which asks for advice and also for guesses as to what may be on it, ideas – and suggestions – piled up:
- It’s probably just a mixtape from someone. (User Careless-Tradition73)
- I work in IT security and I’m quite confident it’s a trap. I’ll give you five dollars and pay for shipping. (Difficult_Advice_720)
- Probably just a marketing gag. I believe Nine Inch Nails did something similar about ten years ago. (User Falkenmond79)
Ultimately, although all concerns should generally prove justified, in this case they turned out to be unnecessary. However, as the finder reported in a new Reddit post shortly after, what he found, made disillusionment widespread – but they also had ideas about what should definitely still be on the drive. The finder himself described his emotional rollercoaster like this:
I feel somewhat disappointed, relieved, and confused at the same time.
A treasure chest with pitfalls
What is on the USB stick? Two folders contain all the contents of the USB stick. The first is called “History”, the second “Videos”.
- History: This conceals a new version of the Bible translated into modern language in audio format. It includes both the New and Old Testaments. This is rounded off by a
Readme
file of unknown content. - Videos: In four subfolders named after years, various clips can be found. They are notably titled:
100 miracles in 100 days
,Emily gets baptized
,The joy of healing
, orMiracles in Valencia
.
How are people reacting on Reddit? Besides the disappointment, many also came up with quite similar ideas for the continuation of the story of this USB stick. To enrich the content, the finder should particularly add specific literature:
Put books about atheism on it and pass it along.
thisguytruth, Reddit
Should I just connect USB sticks to my devices?
If something similar happens to you, do not simply connect a drive to the first USB port available. If you decide to check it out, use a device that is as useless and empty as possible – meaning without personal data. Additionally, there should be no internet or (W-)Lan or any connection to anything else electronic – neither via cable, plug, nor wirelessly.
What could happen if I connect a USB stick? The dangers posed by unknown USB sticks are manifold and can take on various forms. For example:
- Illegal content that, by accessing or at the latest by copying, makes you liable to prosecution.
- Simply disturbing content of all imaginable kinds that you won’t forget once you’ve seen it.
- Viruses, trojans, and co. that install unnoticed.
- A so-called USB killer that causes irreparable damage to your device through high voltage pulses.
Therefore, our advice is: Stay away from unknown USB sticks, hard drives, or any other storage media! Only use drives whose owners you know and/or you can trust otherwise.
On Reddit, you can also find bizarre stories from the world of computer hardware that can give you a fright as a gamer. For example, we reported on MeinMMO about a user who grabbed a screwdriver due to problems with his RTX 4090. In the end, the answer was precisely in what he did not discover there, as something fundamental was forgotten in the factory.
