FBI Says Don’t Charge Your Phone At Public Charging Points: Here’s Why

Charging your phones via public chargers is a big risk, and most of us know that, but now this warning has come via the FBI which has issued a notice saying people should avoid charging their phones on public charging stations where you have other chargers placed.

Public chargers have become a hacker’s paradise that has allowed them to plug devices with malware which can be used to steal confidential data and even your money. This attack also has a term called juice jacking, which is used by the hackers to infect the charging devices with malware.

The trick is easy, and people don’t usually suspect anything foul. But events in the recent past have shown the danger posed by these charging stations. The fact that the FBI is sharing an advisory is definitely worth bringing to notice for everyone, even those who might not have taken it seriously.

Juice jacking becomes an easy way to attack users, because people will always need their phones to be charged, especially when they are flying. And having a public charging unit comes in handy for people who have either packed their adapter in the main luggage or forgot to bring one.

The best way to avoid falling prey to this form of hacking is to carry your own charger, including the cable. After all, the main weapon for the bad actor to infect your device with the malware is via the USB cable that is connected to the phone for charging. These warnings are shared regularly, and we have even talked about juice jacking in detail.

But the next time you decide to fly and use these charging stations, remember that one of the most important law enforcement agencies in the world has warned people from using the public chargers for their own safety.

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