The FBI is warning against criminals stealing data from phones while people are charging their devices in public charging stations. I recommend that you refrain from utilizing complimentary charging stations available at airports, hotels, or shopping centers due to the possibility of malicious individuals exploiting public USB ports to inject malware and monitoring software into your devices. I have the following recommendations to prevent such threats.
Get a secure charging USB adapter
Using a secure charging USB adapter can block two-way data transfers and stop the threat of:
Juice jacking: This is a type of cyber attack that involves stealing sensitive data from a mobile device by compromising the USB charging port.
Malicious viruses: Refers to harmful software programs designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system or network.
Trojans: A type of malicious software that appears to be legitimate but actually contains hidden malicious code that can cause damage to the computer system, steal sensitive information, or grant unauthorized access to the victim’s device.
Malware: Refers to any type of software intentionally designed to cause harm to computer systems, networks, or devices, including viruses, trojans, worms, and ransomware.
I recommend using this Data Blocker USB This secure charging USB adapter can charge your mobile devices in public without any risk of a data breach or uploading viruses, or information leakage. It can charge up to 2.4 AMPS and it is compatible with Apple, Samsung, and almost all USB devices. At the time of publishing, this device had over 93 global ratings on Amazon with 64% giving it 5 stars.
MORE: DON’T FALL FOR THESE FAKE, MALWARE-PRODUCING CHATGPT SITES, APPS
Use a portable battery
Having a portable battery charger for your smartphone will prevent you from having to plug your phone into a wall in a public place while still chasing your smartphone efficiently should you need to do so. One of my favorite portable chargers out there is the Anker Portable Power Bank. It’s one of the slimmest and lightest portable chargers in the game and works with most smartphones. At the time of publishing, this product had over 81,000 global reviews on Amazon with 76% giving it 5 stars.
Credit: Anker
Please note you will need to use a USB C cable which the above charger does not come with.
Get the Universal 3-in-1 charger cable
MORE: 5 BEST PORTABLE PHONE CHARGERS OF 2023
Use antivirus protection
You should always be using strong antivirus protection on all devices to help block intrusions from hackers. My #1 recommendation for antivirus protection will always be TotalAV, and right now you can get a limited-time deal for CyberGuy readers: $19 your first year (80% off) for TotalAV Antivirus Pro package.
Read my review of Best Antivirus Protection software here.
Having antivirus protection on your device will help to prevent, detect, and remove any malware. It’s the best layer of protection between you and the malicious attacks that target all of our devices.
Have you ever charged your phone at a public kiosk? Did you notice any issues with your phone afterward? Let us know.
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19 comments
Appreciate your cyber tips. You’re a Fox Biz favorite!
I’ve been looking at this portable charger but it does not have the lightning plug I need for my iPhone 13pro. Can you recommend one that would work with my phone?
Hi Mary, please see our charger recommendation here.