What happens if you charge phone using public USB cables or charging stations?

When your phone's about to die, finding a cable or a charging port seems like a life saver however, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned people from using public USB cables or charging stations as it increases risk of your data getting stolen, Nasdaq reported. 

The agency has urged travellers to, "avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels, or shopping centres. Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices that access these ports."

The Federal Communications Commission in their statement said, "Bad actors can load malware onto public USB charging stations to maliciously access electronic devices while they are being charged.

"Malware installed through a corrupted USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator. Criminals can then use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors."

Here are some tips to protect your phone from dying out:

Carry a power bank

The easiest way to protect yourself from malicious content or your data getting stolen is to use a device that does not need to be connected with any station, Prime Way reported.

A power bank comes in all sizes and colours, it is a handy device which you can carry anywhere, its battery life is very long making it perfect for longer travels.

Carry batteries with you

Advancement in technology has introduced the world to smaller and more efficient batteries. You can find a battery that can recharge your phone to full coverage.

Conserve power

The simplest method to protect your phones or any chargeable gadgets is to conserve its battery.

There are several steps you can take to save battery, such as do not enable auto update feature, turn brightness low, switch to power saving mode, among other things.