SMARTPHONE-wielding travellers have been warned against an "underestimated" 'juice jacking' attack that can take place in hotels. 'Juice jacking' is when innocent iPhone or Android owners charge their devices through a USB port that has been tampered with - and hotels aren't the only place you're at risk. These dodgy USB ports can be used to physically plug hackers into your phone, where they can access your personal data, like card details, addresses and names.
Consumers have long been warned against using USB cables and charge points in public places, like airports, translations, pubs and restaurants. This is because, as founder of cybersecurity firm TorGuard, Ben Van Pelt, says: "They’re all vulnerable." Yet, despite hotels being deemed more 'private' than 'public', Van Pelt told The Sun: "The risk shouldn’t be underestimated.
"Hotels are often a prime target for cybercriminals due to the constant flow of guests with sensitive data, and USB ports are not the only risk source." Ten years ago, hotels in Asia were targeted by a spear-phishing spyware and malware-spreading campaign that attacked business hotel visitors through the hotel's Wi-Fi network. "There was a major incident back then known as the DarkHotel Attacks," Ven Pelt explained.
"Where a group of hackers targeted high-profile individuals staying in luxury hotels across Asia by exploiting weaknesses in hotel Wi-Fi networks to install malware on guests' devices." While it might be tempting to ditch your travel .