The FBI is warning consumers not to use public phone charging stations to avoid exposing their devices to malicious software.
According to a tweet from the FBI's Denver office last week,
public USB stations like those found in malls and airports are being used by criminals to distribute malware and surveillance software. The agency did not provide any specific examples.
“Bring your own charger and USB cable and use a power outlet instead,” the agency advised in the tweet.
While public charging stations are attractive to many when devices run out of battery, security experts have been raising concerns about the risk for years.In 2011, researchers coined the term “juicing” to describe the problem.
"Just by plugging your phone into a [compromised] power strip or charger, your device is now infected and that puts all of your data at risk," Drew Paik, formerly of security firm Authentic8, told CNN in 2017.
The cable you use to charge your phone is also used to send data from your phone to other devices. For example, if you connect your iPhone to your Mac using the charging cable, you can download photos from your phone to your computer.
If a port is compromised, there is no limit to the information a hacker could capture, Paik previously told CNN.This includes your emails, text messages, photos and contacts.
“The FBI, working with our partners, provides regular reminders and public service announcements,” Vikki Migoya, public affairs officer for the FBI Denver branch, told CNN. “This was a general reminder to the American public to stay safe and diligent, especially while traveling.”
The Federal Communications Commission also updated a blog post on Tuesday warning that a damaged charging port can allow a malicious actor to lock a device or obtain personal information and passwords.
“In some cases, criminals may have intentionally left cables plugged into charging stations,” the FCC blog post said.“There have even been reports of infected cables being given away as promotional gifts.”
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