Using public charging ports could get your data, passwords stolen, warns FBI

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The FBI recently sent out a tweet warning against using public charging ports due to security reasons.

"Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers. Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices," they said.

The FBI has warned of this danger in the past as well. The cybercrime is referred to as 'juice jacking', which involves 'bad actors' or cyber-criminals loading malware onto public USB charging stations. They can use this malware to access your device as it is being charge, and then lock it or even export data and passwords to themselves. "Criminals can then use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors," says a warning on the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) website.

The FBI asks the public to carry their own chargers and USB cords and plug them directly into electrical outlets in order to avoid juice jacking.