FBI warns: Public chargers may lead to 'juice jacking' cyberattacks

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) advises against using public chargers for smartphones due to the potential risk of a "Juice Jacking" attack. Instead, experts recommend using your own USB cable or personal charger as a safer alternative.

Chances are, at some point, you may need to charge your phone in a public place. But using public chargers with USB ports is a risky move, according to the FBI. These public ports carry a risk of an attack where the charging station not only powers your device but could potentially steal your private data by gaining access to your phone.

Muhammad Yahya Patel, Chief Security Engineer at Check Point Software, affirms that public charging stations are rarely inspected for safety, thus posing a threat to users.

Patel provides a simple solution: "When in public places, use your own charging cable and plug. Opt for a traditional electrical outlet or a cable that doesn't support data transfer." He further explains that "hackers use the charging port as a channel for data transmission, giving them the potential means to install tracking software or a screen-copying program."

Another solution suggested is to carry your own power bank, thereby negating the need to use public chargers. Yet, it's important to remember that data theft from phones can be executed not only through a cable and a questionable charging station. Sometimes installing an infected app unknowingly, even one downloaded from an official source like the Google Play Store for Android devices, can result in data theft.