Don’t trust the charger at Gate B12

IT experts: the media’s asking about juice jacking. Here’s your in.

I started doing a lot of business travel in 2023.

After enough delayed flights and charging my phone in sketchy corners of the airport, I figured out how to bring my own comfort:

✅my favorite snacks, ✅slip-on shoes, ✅a long sweater that I double as a blanket, ✅my neck pillow, ✅over the ear headphones, ✅an empty refillable water bottle,

— and now *even more importantly* ✅ my portable usb charger I picked up on a trip to Mexico, simply because my phone battery kept draining from taking so many videos.

But what I didn’t expect to learn?
That I needed to take extra steps to protect myself from cybercrimes at the airport. Because it wasn’t until I started frequently traveling that my business bank account started to get compromised. Hmmmm.

Right now, the tech and security world is buzzing about a tactic called juice jacking — and it’s something every entrepreneur, exec, and frequent flyer needs to know about.

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What is Juice Jacking?
Juice jacking happens when a hacker uses a public USB charging port — like the kind in airports, hotel lobbies, or coworking spaces — to access your device while it’s plugged in. Like this 👇🏽

Once connected, they can:

⚠️Install malware

⚠️Steal passwords

⚠️Lock your phone remotely

⚠️Export your data without you knowing

And all you did was charge your phone.

While the FCC says there are no confirmed cases (yet), cybersecurity experts are sounding the alarm.

If you’re on the go, the safest move is simple:
Use your own wall plug or carry a personal power bank. Always.

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🎯 TODAY’S PUBLICITY LEAD:

The leading online and print publication for the computing and information technology fields has a timely media opportunity for IT and cybersecurity experts to weigh in on juice jacking, USB-based threats, and digital safety for travelers.

To view the full Publicity Lead© — including the media outlet, journalist contact info, and response instructions — you’ll need to upgrade to a paid subscription.

Paid subscribers see it free! 👇🏽