It's a common traveling scenario: you get off the plane and walk into the airport. With time to kill before your connecting flight, you think you'll get caught up on emails and calls you missed while in the air. The only issue is your phone or laptop's battery is in the red. Conveniently, there's an airport charging station right in front of you and the empty usb ports are calling. You dig out your device cord and connect...walking right into a hacker's trap.
The Data Security Trap At The Charging Station
It's known as "juice jacking," when hackers modify public usb ports to download malicious software onto unsuspecting user's devices.
This hard to detect malware serves one purpose: to steal your data. You may not even know you've been jacked, unless the malware stealing your data causes slow device performance.
Cybersecurity experts are now warning travelers of the legitimate risk of using public charging stations--especially one's that connect via usb port.
This type of attack is not new. In fact, it's been around for years, but as data breaches have become a daily occurence, it's important to educate yourself in every way possible to not become a statistic.
What's the best way to avoid getting juice jacked at the airport?
If you avoid connecting to public power sources, you can't get jacked. Consider bringing an extra battery or your own portable charger or power bank with you when you travel. That way, you can keep your phone, laptop, or tablet fully charged without having to rely on risky airport usb connections.
The Hacker On The Wi-Fi Hotspot
Open public Wi-Fi is a common choice for travelers looking to browse the internet at the airport or coffeeshop. However, these Hotspots are a hunting ground for hackers.
Public Wi-Fi often lacks the security needed to protect your sensitive data from the wrong people. Because the data transmitted is unencrypted, anyone with the right knowledge and tools can access it.
How can you stay safe on public Wi-Fi?
Hackers can steal data over public Wi-Fi in a number of ways. To stay safe, use your phone's mobile hotspot connection instead. If you must use public Wi-Fi, avoid logging in to banking sites, online shopping carts, or other websites where your credit card and other sensitive data might be kept.
As a partner of Homeland Security's Stop.Think.Connect. campaign, PTG is committed to educating users on ways to stay safe online. Download this free Stop.Think.Connect. tip card, "Best Practices for Using Public Wi-Fi."
If your business or nonprofit needs to step up its cybersecurity, let us give you an IT Assessment today.
