Security officials have recommended using encrypted messaging apps after a cyberattack targeting major U.S. telecommunications companies, including T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon Communications, Inc.
On Wednesday, TechRadar reported that this recommendation came after the Chinese hacker group Salt Typhoon attempted to breach and steal metadata from U.S. telecom giants. The group reportedly infiltrated U.S. telecom networks, enabling them to monitor customer activities.
Salt Typhoon, which has been active since 2022, has targeted key U.S. government agencies, politicians, and critical industries. The scale and severity of this latest attack have raised significant concerns, mainly because the hackers exploited vulnerabilities in backdoors used by cybersecurity agencies and law enforcement.
During a press briefing, Jeff Greene, Executive Assistant Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), strongly urged American citizens to adopt encrypted apps for communication. “Encryption is your friend, whether it’s on text messaging or if you can use encrypted voice communication,” Greene stated. He further explained that while hackers might intercept data, encryption can render it virtually impossible to steal.
This advice has been welcomed by privacy experts who have long advocated encrypted communication systems. Greg Nojeim, Senior Counsel and Director of the Security and Surveillance Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, warned, “If anti-encryption advocates had their way, the United States would now be defenseless to this type of mass snooping from a foreign power.”
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