UAE warns travellers of rising data-theft risks at public charging stations

The UAE Cyber Security Council has warned that travellers who charge their devices at unsecured public ports are likely exposing their personal data to hackers, reported Xinhua, quoting the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Sunday.

WAM cited the Council as saying that 79 percent of travellers using untrusted public charging stations face potential data breaches because some ports may carry malicious software or hidden systems that enable "juice jacking" attacks. These attacks exploit media or image-transfer protocols that trigger automatically when a device is plugged in.

The Council said neglecting basic cybersecurity measures can result in stolen data and passwords, or allow malware to be installed on phones without users' notice.

According to WAM, the Council listed several signs that a device may have been compromised: rapid battery drain, sluggish app performance, repeated system crashes, and unfamiliar icons or messages appearing on the screen.