A federal agency has issued urgent guidance to top government officials and politicians to cease using standard phone calls and text messages immediately following the targeting of major U.S. telecommunications companies by Chinese hackers with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance advising “individuals who are in senior government or senior political positions” to promptly adopt best practices for smartphone use. The guidance emphasizes the use of end-to-end encrypted communications to safeguard against interception or manipulation of data between mobile devices and internet services.
End-to-end encryption ensures that only the sender and recipient can access the encrypted information, providing a higher level of data protection. Apps like WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage, BrightChat, among others, already offer end-to-end encryption.
The warning comes in response to recent attacks on U.S. telecommunications systems by Chinese hackers known as “Salt Typhoon.” CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity, Jeff Greene, highlighted ongoing threats posed by Chinese regime-linked cyber operations targeting critical infrastructure, such as utilities, under the moniker “Volt Typhoon.”
Additional recommendations from CISA include avoiding one-time password-based text messages, utilizing hardware keys to prevent phishing attacks, and considering encrypted messaging platforms for secure communications.
The agency also alerted about the Chinese Communist Party’s utilization of tactics that pose a significant threat to critical infrastructure, government entities, and businesses in the United States. CISA emphasized the importance of incorporating Secure by Design principles into software development to enhance security measures.
Furthermore, Democratic and Republican senators have raised concerns about Chinese-led espionage attempts targeting American telecom companies and stealing private communications data from individuals involved in politics, including President-elect Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The recent warnings represent a shift in stance from previous statements by federal officials regarding encryption. FBI Director Christopher Wray previously highlighted the challenges posed by end-to-end encryption for law enforcement efforts.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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