US2 min(s) read
Published 15:21 14 Aug 2026 GMT
The FBI has issued a warning to all phone users to stop using free public charging ports.
Many people are used to just plugging in their devices to charge whether they're getting ready to travel at an airport or sitting down to work at a coffee shop.
It's easy and, best of all, free, but it may carry more danger than you think.
New guidance from homeland security has thrown up serious concerns about hacking that may put you at risk.
The US domestic intelligence and security service have warned the public that hackers have now grown more calculating with how they plan to put malware in your devices.
Plugging your phone into a public charging port could mean that these same hackers are able to infect your device with malware and tracking software.
The Denver branch of the FBI issued a public statement saying: "Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead."
Cybersecurity experts told Sky News that there are two main methods hackers use of "jacking" the public USB ports you can use to charge your phone.
The first is known as "juice jacking" where criminals can load their malware into the systems of the public charging ports so they can access your device while you're charging it.
Once this malicious software is inside your device, the hackers can then steal your account credentials and other important financial data.
The second is called "video jacking," where the hackers actually plant hidden video equipment in a compromised charging port to record you.
With this footage, they can then screen what you're doing on your phone; which means they'll be able to see who you're messaging, any bank account information you might access and, crucially, your passwords to important accounts.
Muhammad Yahya Patel, lead security engineer at Check Point, told Sky News that public charging ports are a hotspot for hackers because they're very rarely checked, if ever.
"That's what criminals are tapping into and relying on," he explained. "It's really important to be aware - and yes, it's definitely good advice to avoid public USB charging ports altogether."
So the next time your phone is running out of charge and you've stopped to charge it at a public charging port... maybe think twice before plugging it in. You stand to lose a lot more than you gain from a fully charged phone.
