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Pod slurping is the illegal copying of data from a computer to a portable storage device, often a media player. The trend of smaller and higher-capacity devices makes it easier to hide and steal data. The slurping element comes from an application called slurp.exe, which searches for specific files. Other types of data theft include bluesnarfing and burning files onto a CD. iPods are not the best option for data thieves, as special software is required to access the storage space.
Pod slurping is illegally copying data from a computer to a portable storage device. In many cases, this device is a portable media player and the name comes from Apple’s iPod range. Such devices make it easier for a user to steal data without physical detection.
There are two separate but complementary models that combine to make pod slurping ever more efficient. One is that portable storage devices keep getting physically smaller, making them easier to hide. In fact, some USB memory sticks are so small that they can be held in a USB slot and completely hidden from the user’s hand. The other pattern is that the storage capacity of such devices keeps growing at a rapid pace. This means that most types of data files can easily fit into a portable device.
While pod slurping gets its name from the iPod, this device isn’t necessarily the best option for data thieves. This is because it is normally not possible to access the storage space device directly without installing and running special software on the software in question. A data thief is more likely to use a device primarily designed for data storage, such as a USB thumb drive. The main reason to use an iPod or other MP3 player would be because it looks less physically suspicious.
The slurping element of pod slurping gets its name from an application known as slurp.exe. This application is designed to quickly search particular directories for particular types of files. A common setup would be to search the Documents library in Microsoft Windows to find Microsoft Office document files. If slurp.exe is set to run automatically when the device is inserted into a computer’s USB slot, this means that a user can scan all document files on a computer without even having to access the keyboard or mouse.
There are several types of data theft similar to pod slurping. Bluesnarfing involves using a Bluetooth connection to wirelessly steal data. This is not to be confused with Bluejacking, which involves using a Bluetooth connection to send unsolicited messages to wireless devices, either as a joke or as a form of spam-like advertising.
Not all types of data theft use rewritable media like pod slurping. In 2010, a US soldier was accused of stealing confidential data by burning files onto a data CD. It was alleged that he had smuggled the CD into his work disguised as an audio CD which he pretended to listen to on his computer.
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