The FBI is advising people not to use public phone charging stations to prevent their devices from being infected with harmful software.
The FBI’s Denver branch warned last week that public USB stations, commonly found in malls and airports, are being exploited by malicious individuals to distribute malware and monitoring software. Despite issuing this alert, the agency did not offer any specific instances as examples.
The agency recommended bringing your own charger and USB cord and using an electrical outlet instead of relying on other charging options.
Security experts have expressed worries about the safety of using public charging stations when devices are close to running out of battery. The term “juice jacking” was created by researchers in 2011 to explain this issue.
Drew Paik from security firm Authentic8 warned in 2017 that simply connecting your phone to a compromised power strip or charger can lead to your device being infected, putting all of your data at risk.
The cable used to charge your phone can also be used to transfer data between your phone and other devices. When you connect your iPhone to your Mac using the charging cable, you are able to transfer photos from your phone to your computer.
Paik previously told CNN that if a port is hacked, a hacker could potentially access a wide range of personal information, such as emails, text messages, photos, and contacts.
Vikki Migoya, a public affairs officer at the FBI’s Denver branch, stated to CNN that the FBI frequently shares reminders and public service announcements with their partners. The recent reminder was a general message to encourage the American public to remain cautious and vigilant, particularly when traveling.
On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission issued a blog post cautioning that a damaged charging port could potentially be used by a hacker to lock a device or steal personal information and passwords.
According to a blog post by the FCC, criminals have been known to leave cables plugged in at charging stations on purpose. There have also been instances where infected cables were distributed as free gifts.
The FBI is warning people not to use public phone charging stations in malls and airports, as they can be exploited by hackers to distribute malware and monitoring software. Security experts have expressed concerns about the safety of using these stations, as connecting your phone to a compromised charger can put your data at risk. The FBI recommends bringing your own charger and USB cord and using an electrical outlet instead. The Federal Communications Commission also issued a warning about the potential risks of using damaged charging ports.