The UAE Cyber Security Council has issued a warning about the rising threat of using untrusted public charging ports, revealing that 79 percent of travellers unknowingly put their personal data at risk when charging their devices at unsecured stations.
According to the Council, some public charging points may be infected with malicious software or equipped with hidden systems that can access data through “juice jacking” attacks. These attacks exploit automatic media or image transfer protocols that activate once a device is connected.
In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the Council explained that failing to take precautionary measures or using unsafe charging ports can lead to data theft, password leaks, or the silent installation of harmful software on mobile phones. It further revealed that 68 percent of companies have faced cyberattacks traced back to untrusted charging ports, resulting in significant data breaches and compromises to their digital networks.
The authority also outlined several red flags indicating possible exposure to such attacks. These include unusually fast battery drainage, sluggish app performance, frequent system crashes, and strange symbols or messages appearing on the device.
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