Juice Jacking, Form Jacking, QR Scams...Oh My!!

In the modern era of technology, we have easy access to convenience and connectivity.  However, as our reliance on technology grows, so does the threat of cybercrime.  Criminals are continuously finding new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals and steal private information for personal gain.  Here are a few emerging trends to keep you informed and prepared.  

Juice Jacking - a criminal modifies a public charging station to extract personal data or install malware on your device while you are innocently charging up.  To protect yourself from juice jacking, here are some precautions:

• Carry a portable power bank or your charging block and cord to avoid public charging stations
• Invest in a data blocker USB adapter that blocks the data pins in USB cables, preventing data transfer or synching when using public power stations

QR Code Scams - cybercriminals place malicious QR codes in public spaces or send them via email/text that redirect users to malicious websites or trick them into downloading harmful software.  To protect yourself from QR code scams, here are some precautions:

• Use caution when scanning QR codes from unknown sources, consider using a QR code scanner app that can detect potentially malicious codes.
• Don't automatically trust every QR code you see

Form Jacking - cybercriminals inject malicious JavaScript code to hack a website and steal information from a form page, like payment card details and addresses.  To protect yourself from form jacking, here are some precautions:

• Use a service that utilizes tokenization to hide your credit card information when making a purchase online (such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, etc.)

Other precautions for keeping your data safe:

• Be wary of unsolicited calls or pop-up messages claiming to be from tech support.  Legitimate companies will never ask for personal information over the phone
• Regularly back up your data and avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading unknown attachments
• Regularly update your device's operating system and security software to ensure you're protected against the latest threats
• Be wary of public wifi; when it is necessary to be connected to public networks refrain from accessing sensitive information such as online banking or entering passwords.  Instead, encrypt your data using a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics used by cybercriminals. Managing privacy is a modern-day survival skill.  Take control of your digital life to protect your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.  Remember, no one cares about your privacy more than you, so take charge, stay informed, and enjoy the digital world without compromising your privacy.

It's not about being paranoid but rather being proactive

Keep your private information secure

#TeamKoppinger - Offering solutions to protect you from being scammed by a scammer!