It was advised to refrain from charging phones at free stations

The State Inspectorate for Control in the field of Information and Telecommunications of the Republic of Uzbekistan called on citizens to refrain from using free charging stations to charge mobile phones.

“Are you planning to travel?  No doubt you have a cell phone or other portable device, and at some point you’ll need to recharge it.  “If your device’s battery is dead, please note that charging your electronic device at free USB port charging stations at airports and hotel lobbies may backfire,” the inspection report said.

Cyber security experts warn that attackers can download malware to electronic devices at public USB charging stations while they are charging.  Malware installed through a compromised USB port can lock the device or export personal information and passwords directly to an attacker.  Criminals may later use this information to gain access to online accounts or sell it to other attackers.

In some cases, criminals deliberately leave cables connected to charging stations.  There are even reports of infected cables being given as promotional gifts.

Experts have also shared some tips on this:

•    Do not use a public USB charging station.  Use an AC outlet instead;
•    Take your car chargers and USB cables on the go;
•    Carry a portable charger or external battery with you;
•    Consider using only a charging cable that avoids sending or receiving data when charging from a trusted supplier;
•    If you plug your device into a USB port and you’re prompted to choose “Share data” or “Charge only”, always choose “Charge only”.