"Unprecedented cyberattack" sparks warning to US citizens to switch to
encryption

Date:
Thu, 05 Dec 2024 15:23:27 +0000

Description:
The ongoing attack on US telecom companies from the China-linked Salt Typhoon
group may be one of the largest in US history. Here's all you need to know to
stay safe.

FULL STORY
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US authorities are urging Americans to use encrypted messaging apps to secure
their sensitive data against foreign attackers. 

The security call comes in the wake of an "unprecedented cyberattack" on the
countries' telecoms companies, NBC News reported . The attack is considered
among the largest intelligence compromises in US history and isn't yet fully
fixed. 

The China-linked Salt Typhoon group was first spotted targeting US telecoms
with a new backdoor malware a few months ago. It has reportedly hacked the
likes of AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies to spy on their customers'
activities.

The need for strong encryption 

"Encryption is your friend, whether its on text messaging or if you have the
capacity to use encrypted voice communication. Even if the adversary is able
to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible, said
Jeff Greene, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at the
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Tuesday  as per 
NBC News. 

 Encryption refers to scrambling the data into an unreadable form to prevent
third-party access. From messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal , and Session 
to secure email services like ProtonMail and Tuta , online communications are
expected to remain private from the sender to the receiver (end to end) 
thanks to this technology. 

Besides encrypting chats and calls leaving your device, FBI officials also
suggest keeping your smartphone up-to-date and enabling two-factor
authentication whenever possible to protect your accounts against phishing
attacks. Do you know? (Image credit: Getty Images) The US Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has also published new guidance for
helping enterprises defend against Salt Typhoon's threats, which includes a
series of best practices and other security tips to stay protected . 

Tech and privacy experts have welcomed the US authorities' endorsement of
using encrypted communication software. They have long advocated for the
necessity of these tools on both privacy and security grounds, in fact,
strongly rejecting any attempts from lawmakers to undermine their efficiency
in combating crime. 

Commenting on this point, Greg Nojeim of the Center for Democracy & 
Technology (CDT)  a member of the Steering Committee of the Encryption
Coalition  said: "If anti-encryption advocates had their way, the United
States would now be defenseless to this type of mass snooping from a foreign
power." 

That said, Salt Typhoon hackers aren't just targeting the content of
Americans' communications, but also their call record metadata  as Reuters
reported . 

 Metadata privacy is becoming a growing issue nowadays. Attackers can now
harvest the power of AI tools to find patterns and trace back people's data
even without the need to access the encrypted content.

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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/unprecedented-cyberattack-s
parks-warning-to-us-citizens-to-switch-to-encryption

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