Don't charge your smartphone anywhere

[Man]

In today's article, we'll talk about the Juice Jacking attack and explain why charging your smartphone from USB ports in public places is strictly prohibited.

Greetings to all, dear friends!
Let's say right away that the title of the article is NOT clickbait, but harsh reality.

But first things first...

Nowadays, we solve all our problems only with the help of smartphones: from ordering tickets to making purchases and everything that can be done with the help of a mobile phone.

But with such constant use, the charging of our mobile phones suffers.

As a result, we often run out of battery power and do not have time to charge it at home.

Because of this, many people use public charging points.

• But are these public charging points safe?

The answer is simple: no.

These charging points (though not all of them) can serve as gateways for an attack known as Juice Jacking.

What is Juice Jacking?​

Juice Jacking is one of the most innovative and modern methods of hacking gadgets such as smartphones that use the same USB cable for data transfer and charging.

Typically, this attack occurs at public charging points, which can be found in airports, train stations and shopping malls.

How does Juice Jacking work?​

The standard method of data transfer is via the USB port.

The thing is that the standard USB port serves as a power connector and a data channel at the same time. Thus, users can exchange data via a USB cable directly during the charging process.

Using this functionality, hackers typically use equipment that can be quickly inserted into the charging port of public charging points in order to bypass security and access data from connected devices.

And believe me, you won’t even suspect that your personal data has been compromised.

A USB port with five terminals is a prime example of Juice Jacking technology. As a reminder, only one terminal contact is required to charge the connected device, while two of the four others are used for data transfer.

Types of Juice Jacking Attacks​

• Malware Infection Attack – Hackers use juice jacking attacks to gain control of a device using various malware, including malicious code, trojans, spyware, keyloggers, and other types of malware. The malware remains on the device until the user or individual detects and removes it.
• Data Theft – Juice Jacking can result in the theft of data from connected devices. The user will not even suspect that their sensitive personal information has actually been stolen. The degree of risk depends on how long the smartphone remains connected to the vulnerable port. Hackers can easily copy all the data that is on the device if given enough time.
• Multi-device attack – This is similar to a malware infection. The only difference is that the malicious code downloaded to the user’s smartphone is designed to hijack USB ports when connected to other charging points. By compromising multiple charging stations at once, the hacker can expand the scope of the intrusion and increase the payload.

How to protect yourself from Juice Jacking?​

• The easiest way to prevent an attack is to avoid using public charging points. Carry a power bank with you as a backup device for charging your smartphone.
• Never use the USB cable provided by a public charging station. Always carry your own charging cable.