A software engineer has designed a so-called USB "kill cable" that works as a dead man's switch to shut down or wipe a Linux laptop when the device is stolen off your table or from your lap in public spaces like parks, malls, and internet cafes.

The cable, named BusKill, was designed by Michael Altfield, a software engineer and Linux sysadmin from Orlando, Florida.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/new-usb-cable-kills-your-linux-laptop-if-stolen-in-a-public-place/