FBI: Stop sending texts between iPhones and Androids
Stop sending texts between iPhones and Androids, that’s the stark warning from the FBI. The agency says your messages may be vulnerable to hackers.
Cheddar
Federal agencies are recommending people stop sharing messages between iPhone and Android devices due to foreign security threats.
On Nov. 13, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced a “broad and significant cyber espionage campaign” connected to an investigation into the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Those targeted were “a limited number of individuals who are primarily involved in government or political activity,” the agencies said in a news release. Stolen were customer call records data and “certain information that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests pursuant to court orders,” the agencies added.
Federal officials are reminding smartphone users that text messages between Android devices and Apple devices are especially vulnerable as they are not encrypted, reported USA TODAY.
“Encryption is your friend, whether it is on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communications, even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible, if not really hard, for them to detect it,” said Jeff Greene, CISA executive assistant director for cybersecurity, during a press briefing on Tuesday.
“So, our advice is to try to avoid using plain text,” added Greene.
On Dec. 4, the FBI, CISA and other agencies released the “Enhanced Visibility and Hardening Guidance for Communications Infrastructure” guide, a document detailing practices to protect against the security threat which “compromised networks of major global telecommunications providers.”
“The PRC-affiliated cyber activity poses a serious threat to critical infrastructure, government agencies, and businesses,” said CISA Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Jeff Greene in a news release. “This guide will help telecommunications and other organizations detect and prevent compromises by the PRC and other cyber actors.”
Here’s what else to know.
What is ‘Salt Typhoon?’
“Salt Typhoon” is a campaign by a Chinese group which allegedly targeted Verizon, AT&T and other telecoms. The campaign is one of the largest intelligence compromises in U.S. history, reported NBC News.
According to USA TODAY, after the Salt Typhoon hack was revealed in early October, leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee warned Verizon, AT&T and Lumen Technologies that the integrity of the networks is “paramount.”
“It is vital that cybersecurity protocols are enhanced to better protect Americans’ data against increasingly sophisticated attacks,” they wrote, “especially from our foreign adversaries.”
U.S. officials told The Washington Post they suspected state-sponsored actors were probing how law enforcement and the telecoms companies partner to wiretap and track foreign targets – namely Chinese agents.
The Salt Typhoon campaign appears to have been thwarted without major disruption to consumers, reported USA TODAY.
What are the most secure messaging apps?
The following apps are available for both iOS and Android and are equipped with security features like end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication:
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
