Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Oct 02, 2025

5 ways to avoid getting hacked when charging your phone at the airport

These days, USB charging outlets are a crucial part of the modern traveler’s routine. We look for them in hotels, Ubers, airport lounges, charging stations by the airport gate -in fact, TPG staffers are required to note the presence or absence of USB outlets on every flight we review.

But is there a hidden risk to these heaven-sent devices? Experts say yes. This week, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office issued a warning via Twitter, cautioning people against unethical hackers who can program USB charging outlets with malware targeting sensitive cell phone data, a move called “juice jacking.”


“A free [phone] charge could end up draining your bank account,”” Deputy District Attorney Luke Sisak stated in a video embedded in the tweet.

According to Sisak, juice jacking can take several forms. The malware downloads itself onto the charging cell phone and can monitor the phone’s usage in real time, transmit bank account passwords and private information elsewhere, lock the phone from a remote location, and sometimes even clone it, copying its entire data and identity, without the user even touching the cell phone.

This may be the first you’re hearing of it, but juice jacking has been a risk for several years now now. And in case you don’t think your cell phone has any incriminating data worth stealing, think again. Approximately 60 million U.S. smart phone users used some form of mobile payment on their devices in 2019, whether it’s Apple Pay, Chase Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay or a similar platform.

Your phone also tracks the number of steps you take each day; stores all of your contacts, messages and emails; holds your complete travel itinerary; captures all of your photos and videos; and is equipped with GPS that broadcasts your exact location and activity in real time, all the time.

So what’s a desperate traveler with a dying cell phone to do? Here are a few practical ways to get the juice you need without getting jacked along the way:

Bring your own AC adapter

That one tiny brick that comes with your cell phone and plugs into a standard 110v outlet is all you need to keep your data safe. You can also buy a heavy-duty one for powering multiple cables at once. Yes, it requires one extra step to pull out and fit onto your USB cable, but it’s worth it. When traveling, keep all your chargers, cords and bricks in one place in your carry-on to make it easy to find what you need.

Carry a portable charger

These aren’t just for music festivals and camping trips. Mophie, Anker, Jackery and a number of other reputable brands make portable batteries that range from the size of a tube of lipstick to bricks that can power several laptops for one to two full charges. (Some even come with bonus flashlights!) Yes, they are additional weight and hassle but again, protecting your data is worth it.

Charge your phone from your laptop

If you can’t find your AC adapter and don’t have a portable battery, try plugging your USB cable into your own laptop. This isn’t the best solution but will work just fine for you to get enough charge to hail an Uber or pull up your digital boarding pass.

Use a data blocker

This simple USB device does exactly what its name suggests, sitting between the charging outlet and your cell phone to prevent malware from sneaking through. It costs about $6 on Amazon, or you can buy a five-pack for your family for about $28.

If prompted, don’t grant access to your cell phone

This may seem like a no-brainer, but never allow anyone or anything you don’t trust to access your phone. Sometimes when you plug your phone into a public charging station, you’ll see a pop-up that asks you if you’d like to trust the computer it’s connected to. Always say no.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
Nvidia and Abu Dhabi’s TII Launch First AI-&-Robotics Lab in the Middle East
UK, Canada, and Australia Officially Recognise Palestine in Historic Shift
New Eye Drops Show Promise in Replacing Reading Glasses for Presbyopia
Dubai Property Boom Shows Strain as Flippers Get Buyer’s Remorse
Top AI Researchers Are Heading Back to China as U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
UAE-US Stargate Project Poised to Make Abu Dhabi a Global AI Powerhouse
Trump and Starmer Clash Over UK Recognition of Palestinian State Amid State Visit
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Kuwait opens bidding for construction of three cities to ease housing crunch.
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Did the Houthis disrupt the internet in the Middle East? Submarine cables cut in the Red Sea
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
×