The UAE Cyber Security Council has urged people to be vigilant when using public mobile phone charging points due to the growing threat of so-called juice-jacking attacks from opportunistic hackers.
The authority said some charging banks – typically found in transport hubs such as airports, train stations and shopping centres around the world – may contain malicious software or hidden systems capable of accessing personal data.
The council, in an advisory to state news agency Wam, said 79 per cent of travellers were unwittingly putting their personal data at risk by charging devices at "unsecured public stations".
It did not disclose the source of the statistics, but global agencies and technology experts have long been warning of the pitfalls of such practices.
In 2023, the FBI cautioned against using free public charging ports because cyber criminals had " figured out" how to use them to infect devices with malware and other monitoring software.
The US Transportation Security Administration issued a similar alert this year, stating: “When you’re at an airport, do not plug your phone directly into a USB port. Bring your TSA-compliant power brick or battery pack and plug in there.”
The term juice-jacking describes a form of cyber attack where public USB charging points are used to steal data from or install malware on devices such as smartphones and tablets.
The UAE council has raised the alarm ahead of the busy travel period, including a long weekend for celebrations of the 54th National Day and the winter break for schools, which runs from December 8 to January 4.
Know the warning signs
The council listed several warning signs that may indicate a device has been exposed to such attacks, including rapid battery drain, slow application performance, repeated system crashes and the appearance of unfamiliar symbols or messages.
The Cyber Security Council provided a set of preventive guidelines, foremost being to carry a personal charger while travelling, avoiding public charging stations as much as possible and rejecting any data-transfer requests during charging.
It also advised enabling two-factor authentication, using biometric login features such as a fingerprint or facial recognition and reviewing app permissions, ensuring no unnecessary access is granted to photos, messages or contacts.
It stressed the importance of verifying the safety of installed applications, noting that some apps may contain malicious software enabling hackers to steal personal data or spy on users, with dangers extending to financial fraud and the theft of bank card and online account information.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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