Why You Could Regret Using a Public Phone Charging Station This Summer
Even if your phone gets down to six percent battery life, you might want to keep on walking right past the charging hub at airports this summer. Here's how using a public charging station just might ruin the rest of your summer!
This will make you look at people differently when you pass them at an airport terminal this summer. Some of them might be up to no good, installing malware or skimmers on public phone charging stations. Creeps.
Caleb Barlow, vice-president of X-Force Threat Intelligence at IBM Security, told Forbes that the charging stations can be modified by cybercriminals to install malware on your phone or download information without your knowledge. He said, “Plugging into a public USB port is kind of like finding a toothbrush on the side of the road and deciding to stick it in your mouth,” he said. “You have no idea where that thing has been.” Ew.
To avoid the risk, the experts say it's best to carry your own charger. You'll be safer when it comes to cybersecurity, and you'll be more likely to have a moment to yourself on a separate stool somewhere, away from the herds of travelers rushing to get their phones back up to twenty percent before they catch their connecting flight.
It's hard enough to remember to pack a razor and an extra set of socks I know, but if we can manage to pack an extra charger in the carry-on we might be better off.
I'm sure the security teams at Houston Hobby and Dallas-Fort Worth International airports are watching surveillance video to keep the creeps from compromising the charging stations, but ya never know. Traveling around the globe may bring some extra risks.
Hope you have a fun, hacker-free summer. Be armed with a charger on your travels so you'll never run out of music on our free mobile app! That helps with stress too.