The FBI recently warned consumers around the world about the risks of using free public charging stations. Crooks can indeed hijack these terminals to introduce malware, which then allows hackers to access your phones, tablets or computers.
“Avoid using free charging stations at airports, hotels, or shopping malls,” the Denver FBI office tweeted. “Scammers have found ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and surveillance software to devices. Bring your own charger and USB cable and use an electrical outlet instead.”
The FBI gives similar advice on its website for avoiding public charging stations. The bulletin did not refer to recent cases of consumer harm caused by juice jacking. The Denver office of the FBI clarified that the message was for informational purposes and that no specific case had motivated it.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also been warning against “juice jacking” since 2021. Consumer devices whose USB cables have been compromised can be hijacked using software that can then steal usernames and passwords. passwords, the FCC warned at the time. The commission advised consumers to avoid these public stations.
