Have You Spotted These USB Devices?

As a part of his EYEBEAM residency, Aram Bartholl wanted to create a peer to peer file-sharing network in public space. And what better way to do that than embed USB flash drives into brick walls? The project, "Dead Drops," consists of five offline, anonymous drives where people can plug in their laptops to upload or drop any files they like.

So far, the USB drives can be found at 87 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn; Empire Fulton Ferry Park, Brooklyn; 235 Bowery; the Union Square subway station and West 21st Street. If you go by, let us know what files there are to upload (i.e. what kind of porn people put on there).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jaya Saxena in Arts & Entertainment on October 30, 2010 4:14 PM

Comments [rss]

w0rd

it would probably be just as sanitary as licking the USB and the floor around it.

spiritross

Besides the security risks, while this is a nice attempt at some original art, it's combining mechanical concepts to be a digital age idea. The physical idea of USB drives in public space and having to plug in to share files on these drives as a peer-to peer method is backstepping technology wise. He is taking a digital idea and bring it back to assembly line theory.

Kitschy idea that completely misses the point of the idea it wishes to express.

Next

Qraymond

As someone who works in information technology, I can tell you this is a horrible idea. The potential for harm to you and your computer is almost limitless. Even if you had anti-virus software someone could use this to put a simple key-logger app on your laptop that transmitted every keystroke (including every time you entered passwords) to themselves.

NEVER pick a flash drive up off the street!

JacqueMehoff

I like eyebeam, too. they developed the mintyboost.

penischrist

This seems like a great way to get my botnet off the ground.

rikomatic

I think it's kind of a cool idea! Although holding your laptop up to a wall seems kind of difficult. Would be easier with a cable extender.

I love Eyebeam.

sj

Wow. This is like the computer equivalent of a glory hole.

I guess if you're dumb enough to plug your computer into one of these you deserve whatever you get.

lizzie d

Bahaha! Exactly! viruses and all!

DOA FLOATER

"Wow. This is like the computer equivalent of a glory hole."

LOL +1

Thespis

Umm...sounds fun, but totally unsafe.

Apparently one of the best ways to breach corporate security is to go to a company's parking lot and drop a few USB sticks with whatever software you need installed on them. People apparently have no problem sticking them into their computers to see what's on there. It's practically guaranteed that someone will pick one up and plug it in.