It never ceases to amaze me, how plain old despicable we humans are to one another, you know, just on general principle.

I submit, as Exhibit A, a new phenomenon that I recently stumbled upon depicting brand-new ways to “hack” someone.

I guess it’s a sad but apparently true reality that this is that golden-bronzer time of the year when we take a collective vacation from being decent to one another?

It’s a little technique commonly called “juice jacking.”

Now, my good peeps, I know exactly what you’re thinking. What in the “hack” does that even mean?

I’m so glad you asked because I had to figure it out for myself, and — as you might imagine — that makes me feel less than brilliant as one the erect earth-dwellers kicking around on this big blue ball of ours.

Here’s the download. (See what I did there?) It seems this new “phenomenon” known as “juice jacking,” is all the rage these days.

You just KNOW I’ve been dying to bust out the old “all the rage” lingo in some way, no?

Suffice it to say that I — like so many folks my age and upwards — am not the most digitally capable and efficient among the intelligent mouth-breathers with whom we share oxygen — you know, those brilliant, tech-savvy and juice-packing young’uns currently running the planet.

Now look, I don’t say that to be bitter. Oh, OK, fine. Who am I kidding? Y’all have been following my silly rantings long enough to know that bitter is my middle name.

Actually, it’s Arleen. Patricia Arleen Elizabeth Marinucci Notareschi Kimerer, to be specific. Yes, it is, too, my real name. Ask my mother, Arleen. Hmpf.

Now, as anyone living in this millennium is aware, every man, woman, child, dog, cat, porcupine, tarantula and / or other type of critter wandering the world who is smarter than the average phone — er I mean bear! — has a smart device nowadays.

Ahem.

So, as I was saying if the battery on your iPhone, iTablet, um, oh I don’t know, your iPhone watch or iRing or iBracelet or iAnklet or necklace or however the hex they’re making the internet available to every living being on earth this day and age — is running low — be aware that that “juicing up” your electronic device at free port-charging stations, such as those found in airports and hotel lobbies, might have unfortunate consequences.

As in, doing so could leave you the victim of “juice jacking,” yet another cyber-theft tactic.

Cybersecurity experts warn that “bad actors” (like, as in the kinds you see in soap operas?) can load malware onto public USB charging stations to maliciously access electronic devices while they are being charged.

I don’t know exactly what malware is and why folks are willing spreading it, but it’s got MAL at the start of the word, so you know it can’t be up to anything good, my friends.

“Malware installed through a corrupted USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator. Criminals can then use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other ‘bad actors.'”

And here we were just worried about COVID spreading?! Hmpf!!!!!

“In some cases, criminals may have intentionally left cables plugged in at charging stations. There have even been reports of ‘infected’ cables being given away as promotional gifts.”

Seriously? Now we’re being mean and nasty to complete strangers? Nameless, faceless, defenseless strangers and for no apparent?

COME ON, PEOPLE, we’re better than that!!! Ugh.

Please don’t send any malware sites or bad mojo to pkimerer@zoominternet.net, a’ight?