Current:Home > MarketsNeed to charge your phone? Think twice — 'juice jackers' might come for you-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Need to charge your phone? Think twice — 'juice jackers' might come for you
View Date:2025-01-12 21:36:03
The U.S. government is warning of the dangers of using public, free cellphone charging stations, such as airports, hotels and shopping centers. The FCC put out a statement, and local branches of the FBI are also expressing concern.
That's because cybercriminals are using the USB cables at these charging stations to hack into phones while they're charging.
Cybersecurity analyst Brian Krebs first coined the term "juice jacking" in a 2011 blog post, to refer to hacking into phones to steal data or infect them with malware.
"Juice jacking is basically a portable charger or a charger out there in the public that's been designed to look real," says Jim Stickley, a cybersecurity expert, told NPR. "It will actually charge your phone, but it's also either installing malware on your phone or stealing data off of your phone or other mobile device."
Stickley also told NPR that building these fake charging stations is pretty easy. He should know — he built one himself. He specializes in executing hacks and cybercrimes to assess companies' vulnerabilities, and says it took him only about an hour "to make the stand, get it set up and have it fully operational."
Most people do not think of a phone charging kiosk as a potential danger zone. As Krebs put it in that 2011 post, "Do you hesitate before connecting your phone to this unknown device that could be configured to read most of the data on your phone, and perhaps even upload malware? The answer, for most folks, is probably not."
While juice jacking is not new, Stickley suggests it's becoming more prevalent, possibly due to the increase in travel now that the COVID-19 restrictions have mostly been lifted.
"Wherever you see a lot of tourists, [you could] plant one of these devices," he warns.
So if you're feeling freaked out, here are four ways to avoid getting juice jacked:
- Carry a portable battery charger of your own.
- Use a USB device called a data blocker that connects to your phone's charging cable.
- Use the wall plug-in socket to charge your phone.
- Completely power off your device before plugging it into a cellphone charging kiosk.
veryGood! (62664)
Related
- The 15 quickest pickup trucks MotorTrend has ever tested
- When does 'Scoop' come out? Release date, cast, where to watch movie about Prince Andrew BBC interview
- Caitlin Clark picks up second straight national player of the year award
- AT&T says personal information, data from 73 million accounts leaked onto dark web
- Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires, 1 dead; Veterans Day ceremony postponed
- Pickup rollover crash kills 3, injures 5 in northern Arizona
- Bills to trade star WR Stefon Diggs to Texans in seismic offseason shakeup
- This fungus turns cicadas into 'zombies' after being sexually transmitted
- Are banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx open on Veterans Day? Here's what to know
- Powerball lottery jackpot rockets to $1.09 billion: When is the next drawing?
Ranking
- Mike Tyson is expected to honor late daughter during Jake Paul fight. Here's how.
- Experienced climber found dead in Mount St. Helens volcano crater 1,200 feet below summit
- Lizzo says she's not leaving music industry, clarifies I QUIT statement
- Border Patrol must care for migrant children who wait in camps for processing, a judge says
- ‘Emilia Pérez’ wouldn’t work without Karla Sofía Gascón. Now, she could make trans history
- Man wins $2.6 million after receiving a scratch-off ticket from his father
- Bills to trade star WR Stefon Diggs to Texans in seismic offseason shakeup
- Woman convicted 22 years after husband's remains found near Michigan blueberry field: Like a made-for-TV movie
Recommendation
-
Blake Shelton Announces New Singing Competition Show After Leaving The Voice
-
Free blue checks are back for some accounts on Elon Musk’s X. Not everyone is happy about it
-
When does 'Scoop' come out? Release date, cast, where to watch movie about Prince Andrew BBC interview
-
9 children dead after old land mine explodes in Afghanistan
-
ONA Community Introduce
-
Demolition of groundbreaking Iowa art installation set to begin soon
-
Foul play suspected in disappearance of two women driving to pick up kids in Oklahoma
-
Michigan prosecutors seek 10 to 15 years in prison for James and Jennifer Crumbley