Thanks for the insight! I will try a different setup for a while and see if the issue still occurs.
[deleted] The only two things I would ever connect to Pixel are reputable cable + power block; and freshly formatred, reputable memory stick via supplied adapter for backup purposes. Never a computer. Unless you know well what you are doing, connecting a PC to your phone significantly increases your attack surface. Such exposure is just not necessary for merely charging...
That's fair, though my personal threat model is fairly relaxed so in my case I feel it's not too substantial of a drawback. I don't actually use my phone for all that much to begin with and my main reason for using GOS is independence from big tech more so than its security benefits - nonetheless, you are of course right in that it does increase your exposure. If my security needs were greater I'd probably stick to power-only charging, right now the setup is mostly one out of convenience. I do appreciate the suggestion!