US representatives instructed to shift to encrypted communications

12/21/2024 2:15:56 AM

(MENAFN) The US government has advised senior officials and other "highly targeted individuals" to switch to encrypted messaging apps rather than using standard phone calls or texts, following a cybersecurity breach. This incident involved hackers exploiting systems used by US authorities for wiretapping Americans.

Last month, Washington accused the China-linked hacker group "Salt Typhoon" of conducting a large-scale cyber espionage campaign targeting US telecommunications companies. Beijing has denied these allegations, calling them baseless.

According to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the breach allowed the theft of customer call records and compromised private communications of specific, high-profile targets. CISA's guidance, issued on Wednesday, recommended that individuals in senior government or political positions use end-to-end encrypted messaging apps for communication. Though CISA did not endorse particular services, apps such as Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp, which provide encryption for both incoming and outgoing messages, were suggested as options for enhancing privacy.

The CISA had previously released a statement attributing the hack to Chinese-affiliated actors and acknowledged that some of the stolen data had been collected under US government surveillance protocols, including "legal" wiretapping of American suspects.

The breach primarily affected private communications of individuals involved in government or political activities, along with information subject to US law enforcement orders.

Following the incident, US lawmakers discussed ways to strengthen the security of American telecom companies, calling the hack "the largest telecommunications breach in US history."

China, however, has consistently rejected these hacking accusations, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry accusing the US of using cybersecurity concerns to unfairly target China and justify sanctions.

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