The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) posted on Facebook this spring, advising against connecting to airports’ public Wi-Fi or using USB ports to charge devices, as they pose a security risk. I’m not that worried about them, and you probably don’t need to be either.
There’s a way to use public Wi-Fi safely. And I’m going to tell you to avoid USB ports not because they’re sketchy, but because they suck. I have something even better for you to use.
why now?
Like I said, it’s not new. It’s from March 5, 2025, and if you browse through the TSA’s press release history (for some sick reason), you’ll see a variation of this same message recycled year after year.
For whatever reason right now, the copy/paste blog cycle has picked up on it, and there’s a wave of mild, stifled, sensational panic going around. There’s an easy fix for the very real risk of public Wi-Fi.
You know, those Wi-Fi networks that anyone can join because there’s no password, or it’s a password that’s given out freely, either posted on a café’s sign, or you just have to watch an advertisement to connect.
Use a VPN. I won’t go into the nitty-gritty. I already do that in my guide to the Best VPNs. Proton VPN has a free VPN that’s secure, trustworthy, and quite good. I’ve used it plenty. I even used it last night.
Download it to your tablet, smartphone, or laptop. Set up your account and connect to the VPN before joining a public Wi-Fi network. After that, connect and browse to your heart’s content. That’s what I do when I travel, and I’m in and out of airports a lot.
For the USB port warning, the TSA statement’s phrase “We’ve been told that’s called ‘juice/port jacking’” suggests that the person who posted it wasn’t entirely sure. Why does this post sound like somebody who’s taken their car in for service and is learning what a muffler is for the first time?
There are also no known reports of “juice jacking” as of April 27, 2023. The FCC posted back then that while it’s technically possible, it wasn’t aware of any confirmed instances of it happening.
So you’re probably fine. That said, my experience with USB ports in airports is that they’re often broken, always slow, and there’s never enough of ’em. People will fight over them as if they’re the last turkey leg at a post-apocalyptic Thanksgiving.
Buy a power bank. It’s a big, rechargeable battery from which you can charge your devices. The Belkin 10000mAh power bank below is a good, portable, and inexpensive option that can charge your smartphone multiple times.
It’ll be quicker than that public USB port, and you can sit wherever you like—charge while you’re eating at the airport café, at the airport gate, and on the flight. For larger devices, such as laptops, check out this larger Anker power bank.
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