A major cyberattack on big US telecom companies has led officials to recommend that people use encrypted messaging apps. Microsoft named the attack “Salt Typhoon,” and it’s affecting companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies.
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Officials haven’t released a timeline for when everything will be fixed, but they did say that a lot of different types of information were accessed in the breach. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) advised using encrypted messaging apps like Signal or iMessage to reduce the chances of messages being intercepted. This essentially means to stop using SMS because it’s not encrypted. CISA pointed out that encryption helps keep communications safe, even if someone manages to intercept the data.
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They also stressed that users should regularly update mobile devices and use multi-factor authentication to prevent phishing attacks. The breach was pretty big, which means it will be hard to estimate how long it will take to fully recover. Senator Ron Wyden said to NBC News, “Whether it’s AT&T, Verizon, or Microsoft and Google, when those companies are inevitably hacked, China and other adversaries can steal those communications.”
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Some call records were hacked, showing details like when calls were made and which numbers were dialed, especially in the Washington, D.C. area. Additionally, some live phone calls of certain individuals were eavesdropped on. The FBI hasn’t said how many people were informed about these live call interceptions, but they did notify some well-known political figures. The attack also involved systems that telecom companies use to comply with regulations that help law enforcement access communications when they have court orders. The FBI hasn’t clarified whether any classified information was also affected.
The US government thinks that the recent attack was mainly about spying to collect information on American politics and government, rather than trying to interfere with elections.
