That USB available on public transport or in the lobby of airports, cafeterias or hotels It may seem like a useful tool to quickly recharge your cell phone, but it can also represent a great risk. So much so that the FBI explicitly asked people to stop using these types of tickets available to everyone.preferring conventional outlets and chargers that come with smartphones.
The danger behind the practice was dubbed “juice extraction“. When connected to a USB, the device receives power, yes, but it can also be a target of viruses and malicious code that steal data or implement espionage mechanisms or theft of personal and banking information. It sounds like a risk straight out of a movie, but has become real enough to become a government agency warning.
There is still no public data showing the magnitude of this crime, but this is not the first time that the authorities have issued an alert on the subject. In 2019, for example, LAPD warned of risks after finding malware-infected charging station at music festival; in 2018, a person was arrested in the US for compromising such terminals in an amusement park, with an eye on credit card details.
“Avoid using free charging stations at airports, hotels, or shopping malls. Attackers have created ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and tracking software onto devices. Please bring your own charger and USB cable and use an electrical outlet“, the FBI said in a tweet.
In Brazil, there is no information available either, and digital security experts have been pointing out the risks for years. The safety recommendation, again, is the use of conventional plugs and a certified charger, instead of public USB ports; have Beware of purchasing sources from unknown retailers or suspicious imports, as these can also be compromised in the same way.
Ideally, always carry cables and chargers in your backpack, or prefer other means such as power banks or energy saving modes available on the devices themselves. If the need to use public USB ports is unavoidable, devices that cancel data signals can be used, so-called pass-throughs.which act as intermediaries that guarantee the passage of energy only, without other malicious uses.
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