The FBI and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are warning iPhone users who send messages to Android devices or vice versa to immediately switch to a messaging app that uses end-to-end encryption. So, what should you know about it?
For your information, the warning was issued amid a major cyberattack incident in which telecommunications companies including AT&T, Verizon and Lumen Technologies were allegedly hacked by China. The US government is currently investigating the incident, with authorities there having been given access to private texts and phone conversations as well as metadata about the calls.
In addition, one type of mobile messaging that may be particularly vulnerable during the attack is RCS, the protocol that allows iPhone and Android users to send messages to each other unencrypted.
Following this, users there are recommended to use applications such as Apple Messages, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram, all of which have end-to-end encryption features. The attack, an ongoing campaign dubbed Salt Typhoon, has been the subject of a Senate hearing in the country where it remains unclear how widespread the attack is.
US security agencies have been working with telecommunications companies to improve security as Typhoon Salt continues. FBI officials also warned that users in the US should "use mobile phones that automatically receive timely operating system updates, responsibly managed encryption and phishing-resistant MFA for email, social media and collaboration tool accounts."
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