Are you planning to travel this holiday season?
No doubt you will have your cell phone or other portable device and at some point you will need to recharge it.
If your battery is dead, be aware that juicing your electronic device at free USB charging stations, such as those located near airport gates, hotels, and other travel-friendly locations, can have dire consequences. You could be a victim of “juice jacking,” a new cyber theft tactic.
There is no doubt that India is rapidly moving into the digital age, with the smartphone becoming the primary means of communication for over half a billion people. And in this emerging digital economy, smartphones also play a significant role in financial transactions.
However, despite various security measures implemented on both Android and iOS devices, they are vulnerable to attacks. One such attack is called “Juice Jacking”.
What Is Juice Jacking?
This is a cyber attack where a hacker can steal all your personal data from your phone. You too could have fallen victim to this simple attack where the hacker has to get you to the nearest charger. Yes, we have charged our mobile devices many times in airports and lounges and if you used a data cable to charge your device, you could have been hacked too.
Two of the main Juice Jacking threats include Data Thieves and Malware Installation. Both threats can lead to the theft of your personal files and GPS data as well as financial information. So is there any way to avoid these threats?
Cyber security professionals have issued a warning that thieves may attach malware to public USB charging stations in order to gain unauthorised access to electronic devices while they are charging. The device can be locked by malware introduced through a contaminated USB connection, and it can export user information and passwords to the offender. Criminals may sell this information to other bad guys or use it to access online accounts.
In some cases, the perpetrators left the cables plugged in at the stations. According to a New York Times story, scammers may even give you infected cables as a giveaway.
- Don’t let free USB charging drain your bank account. Here are some tips to help you avoid becoming a juice victim:
- Do not use a USB charging station. Use an electrical outlet instead.
- Take AC, car chargers and your own USB cables for your travels.
- Carry a portable charger or external battery.
- Consider carrying a charging-only cable that prevents data from being sent or received while charging, from a trusted supplier.