STATION AND PUT THEIR PERSONAL DATA AT RISK.
IT’S CALLED JUICE-JACKING AND
THIS MORNING WE WILL SHOW YOU
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF.
GO ANYWHERE AND YOU’RE LIKELY TO
SPOT ONE OF THESE, CHARGING
STATIONS, A FREE AND CONVENIENT
WAY TO TOP OFF OUR PHONE’S
BATTERY WHEN ON THE GO.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK TWICE
AFTER A RECENT WARNING BY THE
LOS ANGELES DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
THE SCAM IS CALLED JUICE
JACKING.
PLUG IN AND A HACKER CAN USE
THAT CONNECTION TO JACK YOUR
PERSONAL INFORMATION.
TO SHOW YOU HOW IT WORKS, WE
TEAMED UP WITH CYBER SECURITY
EXPERT JIM STICKILY.
HE INSTALLED HARDWARE INTO THIS
CHARGING STATION.
WE SET IT UP AT A POPULAR
TOURIST DESTINATION, THE PORT OF
SAN DIEGO.
I’M GOING TO PLUG MY PHONE IN
THIS CHARGING STATION.
>> Reporter: ACROSS THE PARK, HE
IS ABLE TO WATCH AND RECORD
EVERYTHING ON MY SCREEN IN
REAL-TIME.
>> I’M GOING TO CHECK ON MY
HUSBAND.
>> SHE’S DIALING A PHONE NUMBER
RIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: I’M GOING TO CHECK
MY RESERVATION FOR THE HOTEL I’M
STAYING IN.
>> STAYING AT THE MARRIOTT.
>> Reporter: WHEN I GO ONLINE TO
HOME DEPOT.
>> SHE IS USING HER CREDIT CARD.
>> Reporter: AND MY SECURITY
CODE.
>> I CAN PURCHASE WHATEVER I
WANT.
>> Reporter: WILL PEOPLE PLUG
INTO THIS CHARGING STATION?
SECONDS AFTER HE PUTS DOWN THE
STAND, THIS GUY ROLLS UP.
THAT’S WHEN I MAKE MY MOVE.
MY NAME IS VICKI NGUYEN AND I’M
FROM NBC NEWS.
WE’RE DOING A STORY ON FREE
CHARGING STATIONS LIKE THIS.
IF YOU DON’T MIND, I WANT TO
SHOW YOU HOW HACKERS ARE USING
CHARGING STATIONS ARE HACKING
YOUR PHONE.
>> AS YOU SCROLL, YEAH.
BASICALLY, WE’RE NOW IN YOUR
PHONE WATCHING EVERYTHING YOU
DO.
>> Reporter: HAD YOU EVER HEARD
OF THIS BEING A POSSIBILITY?
>> NO.
I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT.
NO.
I’M SO USED TO SEEING THEM.
THEY’RE SO COMMON.
>> Reporter: ONE AFTER ANOTHER,
ALL DAY LONG, PEOPLE PLUG IN.
WE’RE DOING A STORY ABOUT THESE
FREE PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS.
WE HAVE A CYBER SECURITY EXPERT
HERE WHO BUILT THIS CHARGING
STATION.
>> WOW.
>> Reporter: DO YOU CHARGE IN
PUBLIC OFTEN?
>> NO.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME.
>> Reporter: REALLY?
>> YEAH.
>> Reporter: WILL YOU DO IT
AGAIN?
>> NO.
>> Reporter: THOSE ARE YOUR
PERSONAL MESSAGES ON FACEBOOK.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> YEAH.
UNSAVORY, RIGHT?
>> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU THINK
SEEING YOUR PHONE ON HIS DEVICE?
>> THAT’S NOT GOOD.
>> Reporter: YOU’RE ALREADY
PUTTING IT AWAY.
TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAN
PROTECT THEMSELVES ABOUT THIS
EXACT SCENARIO.
>> THESE ARE PUBLIC CHARGING
STATIONS.
IF YOU WALK UP AND IT’S SITTING
OUT HERE, YOU HAVE TO USE COMMON
SENSE.
LIKE THIS THING.
IT’S NOT EVEN MOUNTED DOWN.
IT’S LITERALLY SITTING HERE.
THAT’S SUSPICIOUS.
IF YOU PLUG IT IN -- I DON’T
KNOW IF YOU NOTICED, WHEN YOU
PLUG YOUR PHONE IN, YOU’LL SEE
RIGHT AT THE TOP, FOR A SECOND,
THERE’S A TINY MARKER RIGHT
THERE.
THAT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU’VE EVER
SEEN BEFORE.
>> I’VE NEVER SEEN THAT.
>> IT MEANS YOUR SCREEN IS BEING
DUPLICATED AND I WAS ABLE TO
WATCH WHAT WAS GOING ON.
ANYTHING OUT OF THE NORM, STOP,
UNPLUG IMMEDIATELY.
>> Reporter: WITH A STEADY
STREAM OF UNWITTING CUSTOMERS,
OUR EXPERIMENT SHOWED, IF YOU
BUILD IT, THEY WILL CHARGE IT.
>> WOW.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS WAKE-UP
CALL.
>> Reporter: OKAY.
HERE’S ANOTHER GOOD TIP, JUST
PLUG IN WITH ONE OF THESE,
DIRECTLY INTO A WALL OUTLET.
THAT’S THE BEST WAY TO CHARGE
YOUR PHONE WITHOUT PUTTING
PERSONAL INFORMATION AT RISK.
>> OR A PORTABLE BATTERY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE ONE OF THESE.
THESE ARE $15.
SOMETIMES THEY GIVE THEM AWAY
FREE AT PARTIES.
>> WHY IS THIS BETTER TO PLUG
IN -- THIS BETTER TO PLUG IN
THAN THIS?
>> THIS IS HOW DATA IS
TRANSFERRED.
THEY SELL LITTLE ATTACHMENTS
THAT CAN BLOCK THE DATA
TRANSFER.
YOU CAN CARRY THAT IN YOUR
POCKET.
THIS IS THE THING.
THERE’S NO INFORMATION
TRANSMITTED THROUGH ONE OF
THESE.
THIS IS JUST FOR POWER.
THIS IS THE SAFEST WAY TO DO
THIS.
>> I DO THIS ON THE AIRLINE.
IS AMERICAN AIRLINES TAKING MY
INFORMATION?
THEY HAVE IT ANYWAY.
>> IT POPS UP.
ALLOW PHONE TO ACCESS DATA.
>> AND YOU WANT TO SAY NO TO
THAT.