"FBI & FCC Warn on 'Juice Jacking' at Public Chargers, but What's the Risk?"

Government agencies warn that malware planted in public charging stations for phones and other electronic devices can infiltrate devices. The FBI Denver office advised the public on April 6 to avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels, and shopping malls, as malicious actors have discovered methods to use public USB ports to infect devices with malware and monitoring software. Instead, people are encouraged to bring their own charger and USB cable as well as use an electrical outlet. The sentiment was reiterated in a notice from the FCC regarding the phenomenon known as "juice jacking." In some cases, criminals may have intentionally left cables connected to charging stations, according to the commission. Additionally, there have been reports of infected cables being distributed as promotional items. According to experts, charging stations pose a threat to both individuals and businesses. However, the risk is low, and there are straightforward ways to avoid it entirely. This article continues to discuss hackers compromising public charging hubs to steal data, install malware on phones, and more. 

Dark Reading reports "FBI & FCC Warn on 'Juice Jacking' at Public Chargers, but What's the Risk?"