The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned users against using free public charging stations. The agency says fraudsters have managed to get hold of some public chargers – now they can infect charging devices with malware that can give hackers access to a phone, tablet or computer.

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Avoid using free charging stations at airports, hotels or shopping centers. Bad actors have outlined ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software ondevices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead. pic.twitter.com/9T62SYen9T

— FBI Denver (@FBIDenver) April 6, 2023

“Avoid using free charging stations at airports, hotels or shopping malls. Attackers have found ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and tracking tools onto devices. Bring your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet,” the Denver office of the FBI said in a tweet.

The bureau also posted similar recommendations on its official website. The disclaimer does not cite any recent examples of harm in this way. The Denver office of the FBI said that the notification is advisory in nature and specific cases are not yet known.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also warned about a similar method of hacking devices known since 2021. A recommendation was then also made to avoid public charging for the same reasons.

The FBI sometimes provides guidance on digital security. Some of them may be relevant not only for US citizens.

The FBI recommends using ad blockers in browsers to protect against scammers

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Source: CNBC