Running out of battery power in a smartphone or tablet has become a common nightmare for many people in today's digital domination. This has led to an exponential increase in the number of free charging stations available in public places .
However, experts in the field of protection against electronic virus attacks warn that if the device is connected to a public USB power port, it is vulnerable to attacks by electronic hackers.
These charging points are used by attackers to install malware on a smartphone, tablet or laptop. They can copy sensitive data from these devices as well.
And it all happens when you think you're doing nothing more than charging your device.
Simple Operation
Concern about the dangers of hacking in this way has increased in recent years. In 2016, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning in this regard.
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The case rose to the fore again in November 2019, when the Los Angeles Attorney General's Office warned people of this phenomenon, and "called for avoiding the use of public charging stations."
Virus protection experts say the means to plant malware in public charging ports is very simple and easy to implement.
In a report published in 2018, the US technology consulting firm OODA said that piracy in the aforementioned way is "one of the most underestimated security threats".
The report warns that "many users often fall prey to deception, and malware is installed on their smartphones."
The electronic pirates also take advantage of the fact that some people may not even have a charging link with them, so additional charging links are left at the suspicious charging ports, to play exactly the role of the bait that the hunter uses to defeat the prey.
A global problem
Desktops and laptops have always suffered the brunt of hacking attacks around the world, and today mobile phones and smart devices are increasingly popular with hackers as easy and desirable targets.
The antivirus company Kaspersky Labs said that the number of malware attacks of all kinds worldwide reached 116.5 million in 2018, which is a significant jump compared to 66.4 million hacking operations recorded in 2017.
And if you live in Asia, the Middle East or Africa, you are more likely to be the target of an attack attempt, according to Kaspersky Labs statistics. In Pakistan, for example, more than 37.5% of users of the company's mobile antivirus software were targeted by malware during the first three months of 2019.
How to protectyourself?
Protect your private data and your smart device with a protector for the power supply (USB).
The good news is that preventing piracy is relatively easy. The golden rule is to charge your smart devices directly from electrical outlets instead of using USB stations.
The following safety measures can also be used:
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It is also worth bearing in mind that this method of data theft is not the most common way hackers use to attack our mobile phones. Hackers have simpler ways to access our smart devices and private data.
"Malicious" applications are still the most common "weapon of choice" of hackers, and most of these applications are found by vendors of strange software and applications, not by big companies.
Another threat comes via so-called "malicious advertising", when bad programs are inserted into ad networks, and the device becomes infected with a virus after the user clicks on unsafe advertisements.
Finally, there are scams that occur by sending URLs or malicious links via SMS.
Now, with Christmas and New Year's Day approaching, when hundreds of millions of people are traveling around the world, the US Federal Communications Commission has issued a warning saying, "Be careful, and know that targeting your electronic device at free USB charging stations located in traveler-friendly locations Such as the proximity of departure gates at airports, hotels, etc., has unfortunate consequences."
So when you're on the go, or have to move between different places, make sure you keep an eye on your devices. Sometimes you may have to choose between dealing with the problem of running out of power, or the consequences of having your personal data stolen.