When you’re shopping, running multiple errands, or simply out on the town, it is ultra-common to see the familiar “Low Battery” icon on your smartphone. Before dread sets in, we all know that there are options, such as public charging stations. However, there are potential risks due to exploitable traits in your smartphone’s design that need to be understood in order to proceed safely and avoid some of the pitfalls of public charging stations.
Juice Jacking and Other Risks
As much as we trust our smartphone to provide security with sensitive communications or to protect any bank accounts, credit cards, or other applications associated with it, like any computer, your smartphone can be hacked. This is known as “juice jacking.”
What Is Juice Jacking?
Juice jacking occurs when a charging kiosk is used either to infect your smartphone with malware or to steal your data. The reason a public charging kiosk is at risk is because the USB connection that powers the charging port also doubles as a data connection.
By offering data and power through the same cable, there is now an access point for unwanted users to compromise your device. Unwanted malware can perform a variety of dirty tricks like spyware that tracks your online activity; tracking of your location via GPS; stealing your banking information; or simply accessing your private and personal photos and videos housed on your smartphone.
Other Risks
Besides the danger associated with juice jacking, several other vulnerabilities exist when plugging your phone into a public charging station.
Theft: This is pretty obvious, but at the same time, how often have you had to wander a few feet away while waiting for your phone to charge? Maybe you wanted to talk to someone or to check out that hot sale on new winter boots. It only takes a few seconds for you to look away—and this is an opportune moment for someone to pocket your phone.
Access to Data: Using your USB cable connection to hijack your data is easy. Many phones automatically give a PC access to their hard drives when connected. This leaves your photos, documents, and other data extremely vulnerable.
Damage to Phone: Using a charger that isn’t meant to support your phone can cause damage. Some aftermarket chargers are counterfeits that simply do not work very well; others are potential fire hazards. There have even been cases where unreliable USB chargers were likely caused deaths via electrocution.
How to Protect Your Device
When using a public charging station, there is no way to know 100% what you are plugging your smartphone into. However, there are some general tips and safeguards, which if used, will dramatically decrease the chance that your smartphone gets compromised.
Switch Your Phone Off
This is one of the most reliable ways to protect you while charging. Switching it off affords the most protection, as this will prevent access to your smartphone’s hard drive. You can also lock the screen. However, due to the addictive nature of smartphones, you may not find this solution easily palatable.
Be Selective with Permissions
Go into your smartphone’s settings and switch off any options that automatically allow access to your smartphone as a media device (Media Transfer Protocol, or MTP) that you are typically asked when you connect to any other device.
Use a Cord that Doesn’t Transmit Data
Find a USB cable that omits the data lines. A “charging only” cable will not transmit your data. Only hiccup here is that it can be cumbersome to carry around multiple cables, and if you do, it is easy to get them mixed up. On the plus side, some charging only cables can charge smartphones extremely fast.
Carry a Full Charge
Make sure that you have a full charge before you leave home or work. This might involve charging your phone overnight or keeping your device charging at your desk. You could also consider carrying a spare battery pack or reserve battery.
Carry a Spare Charger with You
Having a spare charger with you will give you a chance to use any electrical outlets that you come across. All you have to do is plug in your wall charger and wait until your phone battery has enough power to last until you get home.
Ohming Technology’s Solution
The way we continuously use our smartphones today, it’s more likely than not that you’ll wind up running out of juice. No matter how effectively you conserve your battery, the ideal solution is to keep a multiport charger on hand that can be used whenever your battery life is threatened and you want a secure a method to recharge your smartphone. This way, you will avoid the potential threats of malware, data theft, and other hazards that can occur from using public charging stations.
Ohming Technology’s Charge M.E. is a premium multiport USB charger that can charge most Android and Apple smartphones, as well as other devices like tablets, laptops, and older legacy phones. The Charge M.E.’s ability to simultaneously charge multiple devices, as well as it being able to fully support USB-C connectors, make it extremely useful for people who are on the go.
Made from high-quality aluminium, it has a very high-tech feel, as well as a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing look. The Charge M.E. comes with a one-year warranty, which gives you peace of mind. It also has the ability to charge anything, without using a computer, and without requiring any time-consuming downloading of software in order for your device to start charging.
Ohming Technology’s Charge M.E. is designed to be versatile, compatible, and durable. Our USB multi-device charger will be able to keep you supplied with power without compromising your smartphone’s security. Contact us today for more information, or shop online.
Paul Romanenko
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