Post-Pesach Travelers Warned to Avoid Public Charging Stations

M.C. Millman

Free charging stations, including airports, hotels, street kiosks, train stations, and shopping centers, have been found to deliver more than scott-free device charging.

According to the FBI, the free charging stations have become sources of juice jacking, the newest way for hackers to send malware and monitoring software into devices after they have connected to infected USB ports so thieves can steal data such as credit cards and passwords from connected devices. The criminals even leave cables plugged into stations for unsuspecting users to utilize to further facilitate hacking.

Public Wi-Fi networks can also target devices and data, leading the FBI to warn users not to make purchases or conduct sensitive transactions while on public networks.

Travelers should avoid public charging stations whenever possible by charging up before leaving home and carrying secondary powerpack and USB charger to plug directly into an electric outlet.