Standard communication methods may be vulnerable, US cybersecurity agency cautions
Following a cybersecurity breach where hackers allegedly exploited US government systems for wiretapping, US authorities have advised high-profile officials and other key individuals to utilize encrypted messaging apps instead of conventional calls and texts.
Last month, the US government accused the ‘Salt Typhoon’ hacking group, allegedly linked to China, of an extensive cyber espionage operation targeting US telecommunications companies. China has repeatedly denied these accusations.
“This action resulted in the theft of customer call records and compromised private communications for a limited number of highly targeted individuals,” the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) stated in a new security advisory released on Wednesday.
The advisory recommended that “highly targeted individuals in senior government or political roles” switch to end-to-end encrypted messaging platforms for communication, among other security measures. While the agency didn’t specify any particular service, apps such as Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp offer encryption for both incoming and outgoing messages, improving privacy for both parties.
Last month, CISA issued a press release attributing the breach to actors allegedly affiliated with China, acknowledging that some of the stolen data was held under US government surveillance protocols as part of “legal” wiretaps of American suspects.
The breach affected the private communications of individuals “primarily involved in government or political activities,” as well as “information subject to US law enforcement requests under court orders,” the agency noted.
US senators questioned cybersecurity experts at a Senate hearing last week, seeking solutions to enhance security for American telecoms following what they described as “the largest telecommunications hack in our nation’s history.”
Beijing has consistently rejected hacking allegations from Washington. Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry asserted that the US uses hacking claims to disparage China and justify unilateral sanctions.
“We urge the US to stop using cybersecurity issues to smear and vilify China and to cease imposing illicit unilateral sanctions,” stated Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning.