You like to travel light–no bulky wall wart for you–and besides, why search for an out-of-the-way wall outlet in public spaces when charging kiosks seem to proliferate in almost every public space. Why just yesterday I saw one in the tiny waiting room at the auto repair shop–it was shaped like a car battery and had various types of charging cords sticking out of it.
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I shuddered. That same cord that charges your phone also transfers your data. By plugging in to a compromised public power strip or charger, you run the risk of falling prey to juice jacking. That is, having your data sucked right off your phone. Photos, contacts, emails, texts–all of it–right through your USB cord and into the kiosk (or the hotel room lamp, or the meeting room table USB power strip, etc.). And who knows what you’re uploading? [Read: When Your Antivirus Fails] Continue reading “Avoid Public Charging Kiosks”