Researchers Reveal Wireless Charging Vulnerability that Can Overheat Devices or Exercise Remote Control
A team from the University of Florida and CertiK has identified a vulnerability in wireless charging systems. The finding, reported by Anti-Malware Portal, shows a flaw in how some chargers handle power delivery when a phone is on the pad. The vulnerability creates electromagnetic interference that can alter the voltage supplied to a smartphone during wireless charging.
In their study, the researchers tested nine popular wireless charger models and found hardware weaknesses across the board. These flaws allow a bad actor to influence the charger’s behavior, potentially affecting the device it powers. The core idea behind the fault is interference with the charging circuit that can shift current and voltage in ways not intended by the phone and charger manufacturers.
Two serious use cases emerge from VoltSchemer. First, an attacker could emit signals that prompt the phone to respond to voice commands through the built in assistant. This could lead to actions such as sending messages, initiating calls, or triggering purchases without the user’s consent. Second, the interference could cause the device to overheat enough to impact performance or, in extreme cases, create a dangerous temperature rise. The researchers demonstrated the risk by heating a popular device to temperatures well above typical safety limits for wireless charging.
In their demonstrations, the Samsung Galaxy S8 showed temperatures far beyond the safe range defined for Qi wireless charging. The incident underscores how thermal stress from manipulated charging could threaten device integrity and user safety. The broader takeaway is a reminder that any wireless charging ecosystem must be evaluated for both electrical and thermal resilience to prevent exploitation.
Past work by other researchers has shown how sensory data, such as touch and interaction cues, can be used to infer user behavior. The VoltSchemer findings add to this landscape by highlighting how power management signals can be leveraged for unintended actions and potential harm. As the ecosystem expands with more chargers and devices on multi vendor platforms, ensuring robust isolation between the charging system and device control paths is crucial. This research invites manufacturers to strengthen hardware protections, implement rigorous testing, and consider real world use cases where misdirection of power could lead to user risk.
To help users stay safe, experts recommend keeping devices within official charging specifications, using certified chargers, and avoiding third party hacks that claim to optimize charging at the expense of security. Users should also monitor device temperatures during charging and disconnect if overheating is observed. As wireless charging becomes more prevalent in households and workplaces across North America, the findings from this study serve as a call for stronger hardware safeguards and clearer safety standards for next generation charging solutions. For readers seeking more details, the study is discussed with attribution to the involved research teams and adapting organizations in related security briefings.