The Transportation Security Administration has delivered a clear warning about smartphone use that may be worth considering as holiday travel looms.
Although many travelers are attached to their cell phones in airports, TSA is warning against using some services. Although the TSA’s warning was issued earlier in the year, it applies year-long, and some experts are upping the suggestion as the holiday travel season arrives. Cyber criminals are tricking people into logging into fraudulent WiFI networks. Black Duck’s Nivedita Murthy told Forbes on December 5 that “evil twin attacks are common where Public Wi-Fi is offered. While users might look for Wi-Fi that does not have the secure option enabled, they may also accidentally connect to Wi-Fi having similar names as the one offered by the location if they are in a hurry.”
The TSA Offers 2 Major ‘Cybersecurity’ Tips for Travelers With Smartphones or Other Devices
In a Facebook post, TSA urged travelers to consider cybersecurity risks.
“In this technology age, cybersecurity has never been more important. You’ve likely heard about things like email scams and social media scams (tip: don’t accept that friend request from your buddy’s “new” profile), but today we want to share our two best tips for staying cyber safe at airports while you’re traveling,” the TSA’s Facebook post read.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
TSA then provided two tips. “Hackers can install malware at USB ports (we’ve been told that’s called ‘juice/port jacking’). So, when you’re at an airport do not plug your phone directly into a USB port. Bring your TSA-compliant power brick or battery pack and plug in there,” the agency advised.
The second tip involves a service many travelers likely use.
“Don’t use free public WiFi, especially if you’re planning to make any online purchases. Do not ever enter any sensitive info while using unsecure WiFi,” continued the TSA. “Thanks to our IT team for these tips!”
A Police Organization Recently Found Attacks Occurring Through a Suspicious WiFi Network Mid Flight
It’s not only in the airport. It’s also on flights. According to Forbes, the Australian Federal Police recently reported that attacks “took place onboard a flight — in midair.”
Airline employees “identified a suspicious WiFi network – which mimicked a legitimate access point – during a domestic flight,” Forbes reported.
What is an “evil twin attack”? According to Forbes, such an attack “fakes an access point, using a similar Wi-Fi name to a real service,” in the hopes that users will be tricked into using it instead of the legitimate service.
“The AFP has charged a West Australian man who allegedly established fake free WiFi access points, which mimicked legitimate networks, to capture personal data from unsuspecting victims who mistakenly connected to them,” a news release from the Australian Federal Police said. “Analysis by the AFP’s Western Command Cybercrime Operations Team of data and devices seized from the man has allegedly identified dozens of personal credentials belonging to other people as well as fraudulent WiFi pages.”
Added police, “AFP investigators searched the man’s baggage when he returned to Perth Airport on a flight from interstate on 19 April, 2024 and seized a portable wireless access device, a laptop and a mobile phone from his hand luggage. They also searched his Palmyra home.”
