14-Dec-2019: SBI warns customers against charging mobile phones at charging stations
State Bank of India (SBI) has warned its customers against charging mobile phones at charging stations as fraudsters can get a chance to rob off important and sensitive data from their phones. Also, plugging mobile devices at the charging points increases the chances of malwares. SBI in its tweet said, "Think twice before you plug in your phone at charging stations. Malware could find a way in and infect your phone, giving hackers a way to steal your passwords and export your data."
It also mentions juice jacking which is a USB charger scam capable of draining the victim's bank account. Fraudsters install the malware in public charging stations after which when someone plugs in his or her phone for charging, ransomware gets installed or malware steals personal data including passwords. In fact, fraudsters are even known to leave chargers at a public station. It is better to use a USB data blocker for safe charging.
Devices such as USB condoms are gaining popularity seeing the potential risk in charging your mobile phone at charging stations. It is also known as USB data blocker that blocks the data transfer when connected to a smartphone or tablet during charging.
Juice jacking leads to a ransomware attack in which the phone gets locked and you cannot use the phone unless you pay a fee to get it unlocked. Even after paying this fee, there is no guarantee whether your phone will be unlocked or not.
Few tips to safeguard your phone from Juice Jacking-
- Look for an electrical socket behind the charging station.
- Carry your own charging cables.
- Only charge directly from an electrical outlet.
- Use portable batteries bought from known vendors.