Anyone who travels a lot knows the problem: the battery is almost empty, the flight is delayed – a USB charging station seems to save the day. But what seems harmless can be dangerous. Experts and US authorities warn: The seemingly practical charging stations can become a digital trap for unsuspecting users.
What is juice jacking and how does it work?
Juice jacking is a special form of cyberattack in which manipulated USB charging stations are used to transmit malware to connected devices or to steal sensitive data. As Computer Weekly explains, this attack method takes advantage of the fact that USB connections use the same port for both power and data transfer. Cybercriminals prepare public charging stations or leave manipulated USB cables in the hope that unsuspecting users will connect their devices.
The attackers have various options: They can install malware that collects and forwards data unnoticed in the background, or even inject ransomware that locks the entire device and demands a ransom. What is particularly perfidious is that the manipulated USB ports cannot be distinguished externally from secure connections. Victims often realize late or not at all that they have been the target of an attack.
TSA and FBI warn of growing threat
The danger has become so real that even high-ranking US officials are issuing public warnings. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the American transport security agency, explicitly warned in a Facebook post against charging smartphones at public USB ports. As t3n reports, the TSA strongly advises travelers to bring their own charging adapters and use regular power outlets instead.
The FBI has also warned about this threat several times. The Denver Office of the Federal Police tweeted back in 2023 that “bad actors have found ways to use public USB ports to inject malware and surveillance software.” These warnings are not unfounded: security researchers have been demonstrating at the Defcon hacker conference since 2011 how easy such attacks can be carried out. The threat is by no means limited to airports – USB ports in hotels, restaurants or public transport can also be affected.
New attack method “ChoiceJacking” undermines smartphone protection
were valid for a long time iOS– and Android devices are largely protected by built-in security mechanisms. Both operating systems usually display confirmation dialogs before establishing a data connection via USB. But as WinFuture reports, researchers at Graz University of Technology have developed a new attack method called “ChoiceJacking” in 2025 that successfully bypasses these protection mechanisms.
In this sophisticated attack, the manipulated charger first poses as a USB keyboard and activates the smartphone’s Bluetooth function using key commands. At the same time, a Bluetooth keyboard hidden in the charger connects to the device and automatically confirms all necessary dialogs. The attack even works on current devices from eight different manufacturers, as long as the screen is unlocked when connected. However, Apple has fixed the vulnerability with iOS 18.4, but many Android manufacturers are not yet fully implementing the necessary security measures.
Protective measures and safe alternatives
Fortunately, there are several effective ways to protect yourself from juice jacking attacks. The simplest and safest solution is to completely avoid public USB charging stations. Instead, travelers should always carry their own charging adapter and use conventional sockets. Power banks offer another alternative and make you independent of public charging sources.
If you still occasionally need to use public USB ports, you can use special “USB condoms” or “data blockers”. These small adapters block the data lines and only allow power transmission. However, as Malwarebytes warns, these devices can affect the charging process of some smartphones. Additional security is provided by keeping the smartphone locked while charging and keeping the operating system updates current, as newer versions contain better protection measures against such attacks.
Dominik Maier, editorial team at finanzen.net
