Borrowing a stranger's phone charger can be dangerous, according to Forbes magazine. How come? Well, cybersecurity experts highly recommend using your own charger to avoid cyber attacks:
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"A hacker who goes by "MG” demonstrated an iPhone lightning cable that he had modified. After using the cable to connect an iPod to a Mac computer, MG remotely accessed the cable's IP address and took control of the Mac," the magazine explains. "In a computing context, sharing cables is like sharing your password," they warn.
According to Charles Henderson, Global Managing Partner and Head of X-ForceRed at IBM Security, the risks are real:
"If you were on a trip and realized you forgot to pack underwear, you wouldn't ask all your co-travelers if you could borrow their underwear. You'd go to a store and buy new underwear."
An effective way to make people understand how real the danger is.
How do you avoid getting scammed?
The easiest way to limit these risks is by using your own charger and making sure not to mistake it for someone else's, which might be difficult
'Since cyber hackers have figured out how to implant charging cables with malware that can remotely hijack devices and computers.'
So be careful!