You've likely heard about the unprecedented Chinese-backed cyberattack perpetrated by Salt Typhoon on major U.S. telecommunications networks, such as AT&T and Verizon. The vulnerabilities of telecommunications cannot be ignored any longer, with undeniable proof of hackers looking to take advantage of them and steal sensitive information. In light of this devastating attack, both the FBI and CISA are urging Americans to take greater care in how they message each other to stay secure.
Why should you be concerned?
Traditional methods of text messaging and phone calls are vulnerable to spying and interception from hackers, leaving anything you send using these methods unsecured, which can be especially dangerous if you are sending sensitive information. Even texting apps that offer encryption do not necessarily provide it all the time. iMessage and Google Message both offer end-to-end encryption to protect your texts from spying eyes, but only when the messages are sent to people using the same messaging app; otherwise, your messages are still vulnerable to hackers.
How can you protect yourself?
The most important element for protecting your texts and calls from being intercepted by third parties is to use encryption. Encryption is the practice of encoding data so that it is unreadable by anyone lacking the key needed to unencrypt the message. As mentioned earlier, some of the most commonly used messaging apps do offer encryption, but only when messaging other users of the same app. For communications with devices that don't have native encrypted messaging options, consider using a reliable and secure third-party app; common options are Signal and WhatsApp. In addition to encrypted text messaging, these apps also offer VoIP, which allows for encrypted video messaging. The problem of messages only being encrypted within their own network also applies to emails, with major platforms like Gmail and Outlook only encrypting messages sent to other Gmail or Outlook users.
While the most important element to keep your communications secure is for you to embrace encryption, there are several other steps you can take to help. Standard cybersecurity practices like keeping your devices updated with the latest security patches help protect your text messages just as they protect the rest of your data. Additionally, you should follow secure communication practices, the most relevant of which is to avoid sharing any sensitive data over unsecured channels like unencrypted SMS or RCS.
How can you stay cybersecure?
The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving as hackers and security technicians fight a never-ending arms race. Unfortunately for the average person, that means they have to stay rather active in ensuring their data is as secure as possible. Of course, that means staying up-to-date with any security patches that get released, but you also need to remain aware of cybersecurity developments. New exploits can be discovered at any time, or new scams can appear, and knowing how they work is the best tool for figuring out how to avoid them.