FBI warns travelers of malware/monitoring software risks at free charging stations
FBI Denver has is advising civilians to use their own portable chargers.
Free charging stations are a staple of airports, bus stations, and other public places where large groups of people tend to gather and wait. While these charging stations can be a lifesaver while away from home, the government has warned that they might not be so safe right now. The FBI has issued a statement urging people not to use free charging stations in public places, as they’re being used to spread malware and tracking software.
The FBI Denver Twitter account tweeted a PSA against using free charging stations earlier this morning. The charging stations are littered throughout airports and can also be found at various public places. The organization doesn’t provide many details or context surrounding its findings, but its messaging is clear: people should avoid public charging stations until further notice.
Source: WUSA9
Since the tweet comes from the FBI Denver account and not the FBI proper, it’s unclear if the issues with malware and monitoring software are specifically an issue in the Denver, Colorado area, or something affecting the United States at large. With that in mind, it’s probably safe to say that everyone in the United States should avoid public charging stations if they want to err on the side of caution.
The FBI has encouraged people to use their own portable chargers, which are probably a good investment even outside of widespread malware attacks. If the FBI provides an update with more information on the situation, we’ll be sure to update this article.
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replyDonovan Erskine posted a new article, FBI warns travelers of malware/monitoring software risks at free charging stations
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What about licking strangers and rawdogging subway poles?
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My company has this thing they do where they send us little online courses to take to train folks on what to look for in suspicious emails, red flags for malware, etc.
The online courses refer to the phenomenon in this article as "Juice Jacking". Not even kidding. Not sure if they came up with that name themselves or not. It's somewhere between clever way to get people to remember it and cringey "the kids are listening to the rock music" shenanigans.
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