If you’re used to charging your cell phone or tablet in the airport, it’s time to review your best practices! This flight attendant explains why it’s dangerous to plug your device into this type of USB port…
It might be the first thing you look for after arriving at the airport and going through customs: charging your cell phone. So when you reach your boarding gate and find a USB port to recharge the battery of your precious possession, your heart is happy! And yet, charging your smartphone in an airport is a practice to avoid… Here’s why.
It’s nice to have a fully charged cell phone before you fly! Useful to pass the time while waiting to board and reassuring to still have battery power when arriving at your destination. However, you certainly didn’t know it, but it is hardly advisable to charge your cell phone in an airport! She is the flight attendant and creator of the Instagram account In Air Exxion who hastened to explain to us that this practice was not recommended. “This may seem simple and quick, but it should be avoided. You don’t put your little tip in just any hole“, she first declared with a touch of humor in a video published on the social network.
“USB charging stations at airports are indeed a hotspot for malware, surveillance and hacking software.detailed the flight attendant. If you are not vigilant, you may become a victim of “juice jacking” ! This is a term that designates the “process by which cyber criminals and hackers use USB ports and charging stations in airports, among other things, to steal travelers’ personal data“.
But then, how can you avoid ending up with a dead phone on the other side of the world? “Either you charge your mobile phone or tablet on a portable power bank, or you use a USB ‘data blocker’ key that you plug between your power cable and the airport USB socket“, explained the flight attendant.
There is also another option to protect your data: when you plug your phone into a USB port, you may be able to choose from “share data“, “trust this device” Or “charge only“, If you see this message appear, simply select the option “charge only” and you should be out of danger. You have been warned!
