How to Protect Your Smartphone from Being Hacked via Public Chargers
Connecting your phone to public USB charging stations can be dangerous.
Experts from Perm National Research Polytechnic University (PNRPU) have warned about the risk of a juice jacking attack — when hackers gain access to your personal data or infect your device with malware via USB cables.
Associate Professor Anton Kamenskikh explained that charging from a regular power outlet is safe. Problems arise when using someone else's cables, rental power banks, or public charging stations — these may contain embedded chips used for hacking.
Associate Professor Daniil Kurushin added that such attacks are only possible under certain conditions: if the phone uses outdated software and has disabled security features.
How to protect your smartphone:
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Use your own chargers and cables.
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If you need to charge in a public place, use a cable labeled "Charging only" or "Power cable" — these provide power only and do not transmit data.
