The Kerala Police said hackers can steal your data through free charging points provided in public places. Data theft when devices are charged from such public charging points is known as juice jacking.
Hackers are targeting free charging points at airports, bus stations, railway stations, parks and malls. USB ports for charging and a preprogrammed data cable are used for data streaming. Fraudsters use a USB connection to load malware onto a public charging station. Or, a malware-related connection cable may have been plugged into the charging station in a way that someone forgot. Juice jacking happens when others charge with it. Many are victims of this but are not aware of it. This kind of fraud has mainly taken place since the charging cable and data cable of the mobile phone started to be used as one cable.
Scammers’ method
The Kerala Police said hackers steal passwords, social media profiles and personal data used for banking and gain access to personal accounts. Blackmail with personal data by resetting passwords and driving the original owner out of the device.
Depending on how long a device is plugged into the cable port, a very large amount of data can be compromised. In juice-jacking attacks, the user is unaware that his personal information has been stolen.
A phone or computer can be tampered with by installing malware through juice-jacking. It can cause major damage, including locking the user out of the device or stealing information.
Not only can the device plugged into the charger be hacked with malware, but the same malware can also harm other cables and ports.
Some malware uploaded through the charging device locks the owner out of their device, giving the hacker full control.
Precautions to be taken
The Kerala Police said switch off devices when charging from public charging stations.
Charge with a power bank if possible.
Do not use security methods like pattern lock, fingerprint, and password while charging the phone.
Use AC power outlets instead of common USB charging units.
A USB data blocker can be used to ensure that hacking does not take place through the cable.
