You may want to think twice before using one of those handy USB charging stations that are so common in airports.
Security experts are increasingly warning that using these public USB ports could put unsuspecting users at risk of ‘juice jacking,’ according to Forbes.
Juice jacking occurs when cyber-criminals secretly modify the USB ports to install malware on your phone or slurp up your data.
As a result of a compromised port, hackers could steal a wide range of data, including your texts, emails, photos and contacts, among other things.
‘Plugging into a public USB port is kind of like finding a toothbrush on the side of the road and deciding to stick it in your mouth,’ Caleb Barlow, vice president of X-Force Threat Intelligence at IBM Security, told Forbes.
‘You have no idea where that thing has been. And remember that that USB port can pass data.’
While the risks are certainly dangerous, there haven’t been very many reports of juice-jacking occurring at airports.
To be careful, experts recommend that users bring their own charger or a portable battery along on their trip to avoid using a public USB port.
Additionally, there are other useful devices on the market that can be used in a pinch when there’s no other option but to use a public charger.
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