The airports? Crazy. The weather? Unpredictable. Travel is tough enough … and then your phone dies. Those charging kiosks in airports, hotels and malls can be big timesavers. Their owners promise they’re safe, but the FBI disagrees — and so do I.
Welcome to the newest phase of juice jacking. The phenomenon has been around for more than ten years. Hackers use public phone charging to upload malware to your devices. Then, they ransom your phone or steal your passwords.
Have no fear. When your batteries hit the low point in your travels, follow these rules to keep you and your family malware-free.
SMART TECH LIFE HACKS TO SAVE YOU TIME AND KEEP YOU SAFE
Join 500,000 people who get tech smarts with my free newsletter. Sign up now so you’ll never miss an issue.
Fortunately, actual cases of juice-jacking are rare or nonexistent in America. But they can happen through USB connections. How can you avoid malware? If a kiosk has actual power outlets to charge your phone with your adapter, there's no fear of hacking.
For 100% protection, stay away from USB ports of any size, especially when traveling overseas. While USB standards are international, foreign hackers can target popular hotel room USB ports to steal data, even if you’re not using a kiosk.
Keep up with the Komandonians and use wireless charging pads instead of USBs when possible. More and more public kiosks are using wireless charging. This method doesn't exchange data directly with your phone, so it's virus-free by default.
If you’re desperate for juice, use a USB connection safely with the right cable. Pack a charge-only cable for your trip. They're cheap, compact and don't allow for data transfer. Come to think of it, that's more of a "do."
YOUR SMART ASSISTANT IS LISTENING, BUT DOES THAT IMPACT THE ADS YOU SEE?
Don’t choose the ‘trust’ option
Plus, I chat with Professor Scott Galloway about his views that Gen Z should be educated on mating dynamics — especially with sexbots on the rise. I’ll also show you how to spot phony retail sites, introduce a woman who turns her dating app matches into music and introduce you to ChatGPT Plus's file analysis tool.
Check out my podcast "Kim Komando Today" on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player.
Copyright 2024, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.