Careful with your cell phone if you are thinking about traveling! Next time you go to an airport, you should have in mind what the TSA has to tell you. The TSA, which is the agency in charge of airport security in the United States, gave two warnings for all people who use phones or computers. What they want is to prevent someone from stealing your personal information while you’re in a public place, like an airport, hotel, or café. So, let’s see what you should do to protect your cell phone.
1. Be careful with public and free WIFI networks
The second warning has to do with the free WiFi found in many places, like airports, hotels, restaurants, or malls. Everyone loves having free internet, but the TSA says you need to be careful because not all WiFi networks are safe.
Sometimes, criminals create fake networks with names similar to the place you’re in. For example, if you’re in an airport, you might see a network called “Free_Airport_WiFi” and think it’s the official one, but in reality it’s fake. If you connect, that network can see what you do on your phone. Did you know about this?
2. Don’t use public USB ports directly to charge your cell phone
Are you familiar with charging stations with USB ports at airports, malls, or bus stations? They’re very useful when your battery is low. But the TSA recommends not using them directly, because there’s a risk called “juice jacking.” This concept means those USB ports might be modified and when you plug in your cell phone, all your information, photos, passwords and messages could be seen by the one who modified the USB port.
The safest thing is to use your own charger (the one that plugs into the wall), or carry a portable battery. That way you can charge your cell phone without worrying that someone might try to hack it while it’s charging.
Don’t use your cell phone for this…
To prevent getting your cell phone hacked, you should follow these tips:
- Don’t connect to any open WiFi without checking if it is the official one from the place.
- Don’t make online purchases or enter passwords if you’re connected to an unsecured network.
- Don’t download files or enter personal data into unexpected pop-ups.
- Turn off the option for your phone to automatically connect to unknown WiFi networks.
And what if I just use my phone for normal stuff?
If you just use your phone to check social media, chat, or look things up, most likely nothing will happen. But if you’re traveling and don’t know how safe the network is, it’s better not to take chances.
Many experts say that public networks today aren’t as dangerous as before, because almost all websites now use lock symbols (encryption) that protect what you type. Even so, if you can avoid entering important information while on free WiFi, that’s better.
So, what should I do to stay safe?
Maybe nothing will happen if you don’t follow the previous tips we mentioned, but the idea is to avoid problems before they start. Especially when you’re traveling, distracted, or in a hurry, it is easier to make mistakes. With these tips, you’ll protect your phone and your personal data.
I’m sure this information is very useful for you and someone you know. So, the more people know these tips, the less people will have to deal with such a difficult situation of being hacked. Have you ever experienced having your cell phone hacked? If that is the case, do you have any other tips?