A new form of cyber-attack can steal your information at your weakest moment in your digital-data lifecycle – the time when you are recharging your phone. It’s called “juice jacking.”
The simple act of plugging your phone’s charging cord into an infected USB port or cord can present the opportunity to bypass all your security systems, steal your information, and plant malware onto your phone. This can happen on any phone, including both your work phone and private phone.
Charging cords have four electrical wires – two for power, two for data. When you plug into an infected USB port, the data cables provide an open door to steal your data.
A simple way to protect yourself is to use a “data blocker.” This is a connector or cord that disables the data transfer cables and only allows for the power transfer to recharge your phone’s battery.
Cybersecurity experts recommend using data protection if you use a public charging station at an airport, hotel, mall, or coffee shop. Some have likened the use of a public USB charging station/cord to that of finding a toothbrush on the ground. You wouldn’t want to use it.
Three ways to safely charge your phone:
- Connect your charge cable to the electric adapter that came with your phone and charge directly from an electrical outlet.
- Connect your charge cable into a battery pack.
- Connect your charge cable into a “data blocker” to disable the data transfer, allowing only the power to transfer to your phone.
The Cybersecurity Team would like to thank all City staff for your efforts to identify and avoid potential sources of cyber-attacks. Your effectiveness and recognition of these threats has increased tremendously as you have become more aware of these issues. We thank you for your support in this effort.