How to Protect Yourself From ‘Juice Jacking’ In Texas

No, it's not about take steroids, "juice jacking" is a term referring to the hacking of cell phones and other electronic devices at public charging ports.

'Juice Jacking' In Texas

Texas airports, hotels, and other public buildings are being addressed for the risk of hackers attempting to gain access to personal devices through free USB charging stations.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that, when plugged in to a free USB port OR  accessing public WiFi, you should never do the following:

• Fill out any online forms with personal info
• Log in to any personal accounts
• Make any online purchases
• Share any personal info with strangers who ask

Think about it. You are sitting at your gate waiting for the plane to begin boarding and your phone is about to die. Luckily, your gate offers a charging station free for all waiting passengers.

The issue is that people can load harmful malware onto these public USB charging stations that can maliciously access your phone or other portable device while they are being charged.

How to Prevent 'Juice Jacking'

By gaining access to stranger's phones, hackers can lock owners out of their own devices and even access private information and passwords to personal accounts.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) offers some tips to avoid falling victim to "juice jacking," which include the following:

• When travelling, pack your own portable chargers and USB cables
• Invest in a high-end external battery pack that can charge your phone, iPad, watch, etc.
• Explore options of charging-only cables which do not even have the ability to transfer data
• Always select "charge only" rather than "share data" when asked after plugging your phone into public USB charging ports