Short Article

15-03-2024 | 12:38 PM

Juice Jacking: Cyberattack

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a cautionary message against charging mobile phones using public charging ports. 

Key Highlights

• The term Juice Jacking was coined in 2011 by investigative journalist Brian Krebs.
• It is a type of cyberattack where hackers tamper with public USB charging ports, infecting them with malware or making hardware changes that allow them to steal personal data from devices connected to them.
• When users connect their devices to compromised USB ports, hackers use the connection to hack into mobile devices and steal sensitive data like email, SMS, and saved passwords or deliver malware by gaining access to the phones. 
• Most attacks target both Android and iOS mobile devices, with older version devices being particularly vulnerable due to their outdated software.

Way Forward

• Mobile phone users must ensure that they use their personal chargers and avoid connecting their personal devices to public USB ports for charging.
• Must ensure that devices have the latest security updates installed.