FBI warns iPhone and Android users to avoid texting after Chinese cyberattack: Here's why

Following a recent cyberattack by the Chinese hacker group Salt Typhoon, the FBI has warned people to avoid text messaging and instead use encrypted messaging apps to prevent potential hacking. The attack targetted major telecom companies and highlighted the need for stronger cybersecurity measures.

If you are someone who still relies on text messages to communicate, it might be time to rethink that habit. Following a recent cyberattack by a Chinese group 'Salt Typhoon' in the U.S., the FBI has issued a warning to iPhone and Android users, urging them to avoid texting as a precaution against potential hacking threats.

What FBI officials have said

Two cybersecurity officials, including a senior FBI representative and Jeff Greene from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), have recommended using encrypted messaging apps to safeguard against unauthorised access.

Greene emphasised that encryption adds a critical layer of protection, explaining, "Our suggestion, what we have told folks internally, is not new here: Encryption is your friend, whether it's on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication. Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible."

What is Salt Typhoon?

Salt Typhoon, also known by aliases like Famous Sparrow, Ghost Emperor, and Earth Estries, is a Chinese state-backed cyberespionage group that has been active since at least 2019.

The group has been tied to a cyberattack targetting at least eight U.S. telecommunications companies, including major players like AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies.

Source: Indiatimes.com