Get yourself a USB condom

Sometimes simple is best. And security doesn't come much easier than the Original USB Condom.

Also: FBI warns of public ‘juice jacking' charging stations that steal your data. How to stay protected

The other day I highlighted a cheap data blocker that can keep you safe if you use public USB power charging stations at airports and hotels. But that wasn't the Original USB Condom.

Now sold by PortaPow, this is a super-simple, cheap solution to the potential problem of using untrusted USB charging devices. Just plug it into a port, and all data transfer is severed, putting an air gap between the USB port and your smartphone, laptop, or whatever you are charging.

The job of the USB condom is simple: Turn any USB port into a charge-only port by blocking all the data lines. Sure, you could make one yourself from a cable, but at $6.49, it really doesn't seem worth it.

And for business and corporate buyers, there are discounts for bulk purchases.

It's worth bearing in mind that, while a data blocker can prevent data transfer, the port might still be able to damage a device, either through damage or misconfiguration, or malicious tampering.