Fbi: FBI has a ‘warning’ for those who charge phones at airports, malls and public places – Times of India

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a “PSA” or a public service announcement regarding charging phones in public places. One of the Twitter handles of the FBI has issued the warning on the social media platform. “Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centres. Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead,” the tweet reads.

What the FBI is warning about is something called juice jacking, a technique used by scammers and hackers all over the world.

What is juice jacking?

Juice jacking is a type of cyber attack that involves accessing and stealing data from a mobile device by exploiting the USB charging port. When a user plugs their device into a public charging station that has been tampered with or compromised, it allows the attacker to access the device and steal data or install malware onto it.
In a typical juice jacking attack, the attacker modifies the charging station’s USB port by installing a device called a “juice jacking” tool. This tool looks like a normal charging cable, but it contains a small computer chip that can intercept and manipulate the data flowing between the device and the charging station. Once the device is connected to the compromised USB port, the juice jacking tool can steal sensitive data, such as passwords, contacts, and credit card numbers, from the device or install malware onto it.
To protect themselves against juice jacking attacks, users should avoid using public charging stations whenever possible. Instead, they should carry a portable power bank or charging cable with them to ensure they always have a safe way to charge their devices.