Security → Keep your smartphone safe while charging in public

Imagine that you're sitting in an airport, train station, or what have you and your smartphone is running low on power. You look around and you spy a convenient charging station. So you walk over to it thinking that you can get a free charge out of it.

Hold up! Don't just plug your device in! Is that charging station safe? Is it just a "charging station" or did someone tamper with it by putting a computer under that appliance to infect any device that's plugged in it? That kind of attack is sometimes referred to as "juice jacking" and has been talked about by people who are famous in the security circles such as Brian Krebs.

»krebsonsecurity.com/2011 ··· jacking/

How do you protect yourself? One way is to never use one of those charging stations but another is to use a device that isolates the USB data connections in the USB port so that the potential for hacking your device is impossible.

You can make one yourself or you can buy devices such as the devices linked below for cheap on Amazon.com.

»www.amazon.com/PortaPow- ··· syncstop
»www.amazon.com/Plugable- ··· syncstop
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Tom
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Thanks!

I've never needed to use a public charging spot but I am going to buy one of these gizmo's and keep it for travel. The first time I would need it and didn't have it... I would regret it!

The solution to the problem is contained in the last sentence of the article: “One thing we discovered: On certain devices, if you power them completely off, then charge them, they don’t expose the data,” Markus said."

And the added benefit of charging faster. This article is from 2011...

Plug in, select charge only, done.

What, your phone doesn't do that? Turn it off then.
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quote:

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One attendee claimed his phone had USB transfer off and he would be fine. When he plugged in, it instantly went into USB transfer mode,” Markus recalls. “He then sheepishly said, ‘Guess that setting doesn’t work.'”

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Wowzers... rather eyeopening, don't you think?

quote:

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“One thing we discovered: On certain devices, if you power them completely off, then charge them, they don’t expose the data,” Markus said.

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....with the above, will have to test this out and be sure whether it works or not.

Regards

One solution is to find a charging station that uses a standard power plug outlet and use your own charging cable/plug to charge your device.

Noticed recently at the airport (Philadelphia) that there were NRG.com charging kiosks near the gate. Further away down the terminal were charging stations with USB ports and standard power plugs.

Perhaps due to my internal paranoia's beckoning but I've never felt even the slightest bit inclined to plug any of my USB devices into any unknown/unvetted ports. Have always brought an outlet adapter with me so charging any USB device was a non-issue.

I bring my own of those.

I have one of these that stays in the car for use with my phone, and a larger one I only take out when I have my tablet.

I can't find an example on Amazon but last time I was at Fry's they were selling some that were about the size of a small flash drive. Those would be even more convenient than the bulky things I have.
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If you're plugging into those, use a 'charge only' cable or short the data pins on a standard USB cable to make it 'charge only'.

More than one of my devices, if it is off when I plug it in, it boots itself up.

I'm glad none of mine do that. I'd hate that and be motivated to replace said device.
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As do I. Have several rechargeable battery packs that I take with me when traveling to recharge devices if no power outlets are available. Don't know how useful those Fuel Rod kiosks are when there was a free power outlet bank right next to it for people to get a free charge. I think the Fuel Rod was $20 when I looked at the kiosk.

The Anker PowerCore 3350mAh seems to be a popular one on Amazon for $10 to $12. Seen similar style ones at Costco sold in a two pack for $30.

Thanks a lot for this topic!

I have never thought about the fact that charging station could be unsafe.

Never sen those before. Travel is the only time I may need a charge.
The charging stations I've used in airport has an ac outlets. AC outlets on the plane.
Always carry a 26800mAh portable charger. Rarely use it but I t can fully charge my 6 plus about five times and iPad twice I think.
I'm not plugging into those usb charging stations.

My phone average three to four days on a charge on a normal day at home/work.
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The adventure continues...Sanctuary....

This seems like the smart thing to do. That and/or turn off the device before charging.

Good post - directly taken out of Mr. Robot

Yeah, I wouldn't trust a charging station in public.

Never used one. I always have a charged phone when I leave the apt. and can use someone's car charger or I'm at someone's house.

If I had to, I'd use my vape box mod as they can output via their USB and have around 2000-2500mAh or more of battery. Not a lot of juice, but enough to charge my Moto-X for awhile.
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Which phones turn on data transfer when you plug in a USB cord?

Every phone I've had, including this new Motorola need debugging turned on to transfer both data and media. The Motorola has the box turn it on pop down from the notification bar on home screen when you connect. You have the choice of data, media or charge only. The other phones you had to hunt under developer options somewhere, and it varied from phone to phone. Those tended to be left open. I rarely charge from a public charger. I usually carry the charger for the phone or a power pack.

I guess I'm weird...I thought most modern phones have plenty of battery life for a normal day's use.

Here is mine where I'll need a charge soon. Notice the battery time...

This is why my phone has a changeable battery.

I am concerned about the long-term battery replacement now that whatever department changed to recommending 30% charge level instead of 50% though.

Oh yeah, if possible, having a spare battery is a great idea.

It seems however a number of smartphone OEMs are going away from replaceable batteries though. Perhaps for LiPo power, or easier planned obsolescence and device churn, IDK.

I wonder too if all the fluff and animations of the newer Android versions adds to that drain. I'm sticking to Kitkat 4.4.4 myself using a manual Stagefright fix. Everything else is just fine on KK.

Most folks I know who have 'upgraded' have less battery life and more issues on even newer phones than mine. Ugh.
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Yes, I am staying with 4.4.4 for the near future too.

Need a new phone, but it will be a previous generation with both expandable memory and easily removable battery

Regardless, I will not ever use a public usb charge station.

AC-Outlet to my own charger sure, but public provided usb ports, no way.

My Motorola Mini from Verizon Wireless does it (when powered on) when connected to a computer due to the settings under USB Computer Connection (under Storage). If I remember right one has to uncheck either Media device (MTP) or Camera (PTP). I do have the Software Install option turned off on that screen. On a non related note, for some weird reason if that Software Install option is enabled, the phone data connection doesn't mount properly under Windows 7 on one of my PC's.

Most of the devices I've had (can't recall one that doesn't) that is a selection to choose one or the other, can't pick none.

Media device being default.

I haven't been able to find something to turn USB data access completely off, including with root access

Hmm...

I also have a Motorola/VZN device here, a Moto X (XT1060).
But I don't have that software option and I can un-check both USB options.

With both options unchecked the Droid Mini doesn't mount on a PC when connected via USB cable. It also, strangely, doesn't charge either until I enable Media device or Camera option when the USB cable is connected to the computer. It will charge though if I connect the USB cable then enable followed by disable either option.