We've all been there—our cellphone battery is getting dangerously low, and we see a charging station at an airport or mall.
We’re saved! Well, maybe. The Transportation Security Administration advises against directly plugging your phone into a USB port at a public station.
Those convenient chargers are an easy target for cybercriminals.
According to findings from forensics experts, when you plug your phone into a USB charging hub at an airport, shopping mall or other public place, hackers may be able to access your device’s data. Known as juice jacking, this type of cyberattack puts your information at risk.
To protect yourself and your data, invest in your own portable charger and carry it with you when you’re away from home.
The same goes for plugging in while riding in a taxi or with a ride-hailing service.
Ports in some cars automatically sync with Bluetooth, which means the car could download your data—from playlists to financial records.
In cars with a hard drive or data storage mechanism, hackers could steal more than playlists—they could steal your identity with the information they collect from your phone.
Connecting to public Wi-Fi is risky as well because anyone who is on the same network could gain access to your data.