Consumers are being warned by the FBI about “juice jacking”, in which criminals utilize public chargers to infect phones and other electronic devices with malware. Consumers should stick to their personal USB cords and charging sockets instead of utilizing public chargers at malls and airports, according to the law enforcement agency. By “juice jacking” from exposed USB charging connections in hotels, malls, and airports, hackers may obtain access to confidential information.
The FBI’s Denver office is advising people not to use public charging stations, such those you may find at a mall or an airport. (Image via cbsnews.com)
The FBI’s Denver Office is advising people not to use public charging stations, such those you may find at a mall or an airport. According to the U.S. government, “juice jacking”—a term that was first used in 2011—remains a problem. FCC representatives issue a warning that malware introduced through a damaged USB port can lock a device or directly export personal information and passwords to a criminal. The private data can subsequently be bought or sold by other criminals to get access to online accounts.
Free USB charging terminals are now frequently found in public spaces, including airports and hospital waiting areas. Although it could seem like a considerate gesture, charging your device briefly in a public place could put your data at danger of theft. (Image courtesy of spreadprivacy.com)
Criminals may occasionally have plugged in contaminated wires at charging stations on purpose. The percentage of threats created to spread through USB or particularly target USB for infection increased to 52% over a four-year period, according to Honeywell Forge’s 2022 USB Threat Study.
What Is “Juice Jacking”? How Does It Work?
When used with an infected USB charging station, the security weakness known as “juice jacking” takes advantage of the fact that a mobile device’s battery travels over the same USB connection as the connected device’s data transmission wire to corrupt linked devices. At airports, shopping centers, and other public locations that offer free charging stations for mobile devices, juice jacking vulnerabilities pose a security risk.
Because the same connector that is used to charge a gadget can also transfer data, juice jacking vulnerabilities are effective. One pin is all that is needed to charge a connected device, and just two of the five pins on a USB connector are used to convey data. File transfers between a computer and a mobile device are made possible by this design when the latter is hooked into a charging station.
Phone charging wires and USB ports are the most often exploited instruments in juice-jacking attacks. Aside from more uncommon gadgets, portable battery power banks and USB ports on video game consoles could be exploited in this kind of hack.
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How to avoid being a victim of “Juice Jacking”?
Passwords, files, contacts, SMS, and voicemails can all be copied from a mobile device using the juice-jacking technique. Once they realize their device is infected, they may not be aware they have been the target of an attack or may not have any way of knowing how the attack occurred. Users can defend themselves from juice-jacking attacks by purchasing a USB condom, which is a protective accessory.
A condom is a piece of equipment that plugs into a charging cord and is placed between the device and a public USB charging station. The FCC advises tourists to use a power outlet rather than a public USB charging station, just like the FBI does. Travelers should bring a battery or portable charger.
Prior to plugging in, NetRise CEO Thomas Pace advises carefully examining the charger. Use caution if it seems to have been tampered with in any manner.
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