The Juice-Jacking Threat is Still Non-Existent, 13 Years Later.

And Chances Are, It Will Stay That Way

A quick search for 'juice-jacking' reveals that a half-serious FBI warning about the risk of infection to mobile devices from public USB chargers is still alive and well. Many of the posts are on social media, some from people in seemingly important professions, who clearly haven't done their homework when it comes to sharing hoaxes before looking them up. The phenomenon hints at the human interest in alliterative names, which seems to short-circuit both critical thinking and risk-based considerations, such as those for the impact on one's own reputation.

I love that silly stories long since debunked are still making the rounds, like the Giant Moon Hoax and the Swiss Spaghetti Tree, garnering arbitrary likes from gaslit people who really should know better.

If you haven't read my Bad Privacy Blog on the fact that this nonsense sparked an explosion in the sale of "USB Condoms", go ahead, take a chance on guessing the URL, you might even get it on your first try.

On a hopeful note, the fact that these "official advisories" have historically been making the rounds annually in the month of April should be an indication that someone, somewhere in a position of authority has a sense of humour.

For the amusement of those of us who were around to experience the Eternal September firsthand, I share this timely article from a slightly more recent era: the turn of the millennium.