You just deboarded from a tiring flight or train journey & realise that you did not bring your charger. A nearby USB charging port looks enticing as your phone is about to get discharged. As soon as you plug in the phone for charging & check your social media feed, you receive multiple sms stating that amounts have been debited from your bank account. Welcome to the New Scam – Juice Jacking!

Intelligent Scammers or hackers have developed a complex yet seemingly harmless technology. By using a gadget connected to a USB port in the background, scammers can easily bypass your phone’s security regulations & infect it with malware. Read on to know more about the menace of Juice Jacking Scam.

How does Juice Jacking Work?

1. Juice Jacking Scam involves 2 steps:

a). Lure a potential Victim of Juice Jacking by offering a useful charging port.

b). Once a smartphone user connects his/her phone, malicious virus /malware is installed on the phone.

2. Once the virus/malware is stealthily installed, hackers can access your personal data, bank details & many more.

3. Hackers can still maintain a connection with your phone after you remove it from charging. This is done by installed devious malware that will send your data via the internet in the background without your permission.

Recent Juice Jacking News& its cyber-security threats:

• Leading cyber security researchers demonstrated the devious method of installing malware into Android & iOS devices via malicious chargers.
• Even Apple devices are vulnerable to this new scam.

• The Term Juice Jacking Scam came into picture in 2011 DEF CON Security Conference.
• In this conference, Cybersecurity analysts showcased the increasing risks of plugging phones into vulnerable USB charging ports.

How to ensure complete Juice Jacking Protection:

1. Make a habit of keeping your phone charged:

The best preventive measure is to keep your device charged. This will ensure that you don’t have to plug in your device into dubious charging ports

2. Carry a Power-Bank or Battery Backup:

Affordable power-banks are readily available in leading online & offline stores. Rather than putting your device at risk with the devious USB charging ports, you can plug your phone into your safe & reliable power bank.

3. Always carry your personal charger:

It is best, if you charge the phone via your very own personal charger. No risks are involved & your private data remains safe.

Thus, your personal data is of paramount importance. It is highly recommended to avoid Public USB charging ports which will avert Juice Jacking Risk.

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