FBI issues urgent warning: Protect your phone from 'juice jacking' risks
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued warnings about using public smartphone chargers due to the threat of "juice jacking," a potential attack that can occur while charging a phone in public places. However, there are ways to protect oneself from such an attack.
7:43 PM EDT, May 24, 2024
The need to charge a smartphone in a public place is common, but according to the FBI warning, using public chargers with USB ports carries a significant risk.
The danger is that these chargers can not only deliver energy but also interact with our devices, potentially leading to the theft of personal data.
Expert advice
Muhammad Yahya Patel, the chief security engineer at Check Point Software, confirms that public charging stations are rarely monitored for security, posing a threat to their users. However, Patel suggests a simple method to avoid such situations.
"Patel advises that when charging your phone in public places, you should use your cable and plug it into a traditional electrical outlet or a cable that does not support data transfer. Hence, hackers use the charging port as a medium to transmit data. They can thereby install a tracking program or take screen captures.
Alternative solution
Carrying your power bank is another way to avoid the threat of juice jacking. However, remember that data theft from a phone can happen through various methods, not just through a suspicious charging station or cable.
Sometimes, unknowingly installing an infected app, even if it comes from the official Google Play store, is enough to compromise security.
