Mumbai, December 12: Juice jacking is a technique used by cyber attackers to steal your data using public USB Type-C charging ports. This method has become a growing menace as it uses phone charging as an excuse to install malware and secretly access and copy information from your smartphone. This may sound like a sci-fi thriller, but it has become a popular method for hackers to compromise your security.

Cybercriminals use a charging port, cable or device to access data from your mobile device in a juice jacking attack. In most cases, the charging connectors are USB Type-C with the capability to supply power and transfer data. If you have a smartphone that uses the same port, then you must know how to stay safe from such malware installation attacks. Juice Jacking is primarily works three ways: malware installation, stealing your data and firmware attacks. Deloitte AI Mistake Again: Tech Giant Faces Scrutiny Over Errors in Canadian Healthcare Report Generated Through AI Automation.

Police Handling Juice Jacking Attack Case of Lady, Says X User

Juice Jacking Attack: Here’s How Cybercriminals Target Your Device

In a juice jacking attack, criminals carry a block that looks like an ordinary power bank and may ask you to unlock your phone to check whether their Type-C charger is working. They may claim that they tested the device on their own phone with Type-C charging and it wasn’t working, and ask you to confirm by unlocking your device. Once you unlock your phone and connect it to their device, you give the attacker full access to your data line.

The fake power bank immediately begins cloning your files, which may include photos, videos, messages, documents and app data, without your knowledge. The copied information can later be used for blackmail, identity theft or financial fraud. The attack only works if the phone is unlocked, which is exactly why scammers insist on it. These criminals may succeed in cloning your phone.

A user on X said the juice jacking attack was real, as the police were handling one such case, confirming the seriousness of the threat. The user, Man of Letters (@Letters_to_Jack), said, “A guy invited a lady he met online for a movie date. During the movie, he told the lady that his USB Type-C cord was not charging his phone and asked if he could try the charger on her phone. The innocent, unsuspecting lady unlocked the phone for the guy and continued watching the movie.”

After five minutes, the man returned the lady’s phone, saying he had forgotten to give it back, and they moved on. A few days later, he began blackmailing the lady with private files copied from her phone; files she didn’t even remember she still had. ‘Claude Opus 4.5 Is Outstanding’: Elon Musk Praises Anthropic AI’s Model for Doing Excellent Work, but Says Grok….

How to Protect Yourself from a Juice Jacking Attack

First, you must avoid connecting your Type-C phone to any power bank-like device or public charging outlet that you are not sure of, as you may compromise your phone’s security. If you need to charge your device in public, use your own adaptor and a USB data-blocking device. You can also enable settings that prevent data transfer unless your device is unlocked. Instead of relying on external sources, carry your own power bank and manage the safety of your device.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 12, 2025 07:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).