But the risks of both are so real and so bad that it’s just not worth it.
The good news is that you might protect yourself easily once you know the problem.
“Michael Harris, aTulane UniversityIT professional who has worked with law enforcement, told Lifewire via email.
OceanProd / Getty images
Public Charging Stations: Power and Data
Our phones all charge via USB.
Even the iPhone Lightning cable is just USB with a fancy connector on one end.
And as we know, USB is used for both power and data.
Mesamong / Getty Images
When charging our phones, we are only interested in the power part.
But bad actors are interested in the data and have come up with some clever ways to get it.
Not only can the connected computer access data on the phone, but it can also install malicious code.
But wait, you say, I’m not plugging into a computer.
I’m plugging into a charging station.
Except the charging station could be a computer, and anyone could have put it there.
Fortunately, it’s trivially easy to protect yourself.
If you really must plug directly into unknown USB ports, then at least use some protection.
Worse Than Public Wi-Fi?
What you should really beware of when out and about is free public Wi-Fi.
“Sean O’Brien, a lecturer atYale Law SchoolPrivacy Lab, told Lifewire via email.
