Recommended by the FBI: What are USB condoms?
A USB condom doesn’t look quite like this, of course – but like its namesake, it provides protection when it’s in place. (Image: Zsolt Biczo/Shutterstock.com)
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At the airport, in a hotel or in a café: anyone who travels a lot and wants to stay in touch will be happy about mobile phone charging stations in public spaces.
But because they are really accessible to everyone, people with malicious intent can also tamper with the USB cables and manipulate them in such a way that malware is transferred to the smartphone when they are loaded. Data blockers, which are also often referred to as USB condoms, offer protection against so-called “juice jacking”.
At the Defcon hacker meeting in 2011, investigative journalist Brian Krebs demonstrated that public charging stations can pose a security risk for mobile devices – and established the term juice jacking for corresponding cyber attacks. Even the FBI has now warned against unsecured charging of devices at public charging stations.
Attacks via juice jacking work because most charging cables – for example with a USB-C or Lightning connector – are designed in such a way that they not only supply the connected smartphone with power, but can also transfer data.
Attackers take advantage of this at public charging stations: either they access data and passwords directly via the charging cable or they position malware. This is transferred to the smartphone when it is connected and can then, for example, monitor keystrokes or display advertising.
This is where the principle of the USB condom comes into play: This is an adapter that is placed on the plug of the public charging station and ensures that the cell phone is only supplied with electricity. The data blocker prevents access to data or the transfer of malware.
It’s worth protecting your own cell phone when charging at public charging stations – and the extra adapters for this don’t tear too much of a hole in your wallet. Let’s go between three and four euros per data blocker*other providers want for that Extra portion of protection around twelve euros*.
If you don’t want to buy an additional gadget to safely charge your smartphone or tablet on the go, you should definitely pack your own charging cable. Important: Do not connect the cable to USB charging ports, but to a power outlet with the mains plug. A charged power bank is also a reliable and, above all, safe companion for battery emergencies.
