The FBI is warning iPhone and Android users against texting each other without encryption due to a recent Chinese cyberattack.
On Wednesday, deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger announced that at least eight U.S. telecom companies had been breached by a Chinese hacking operation known as “Salt Typhoon.” The operation accessed private text messages and phone conversations involving an undisclosed number of Americans.
The hackers are believed to have successfully intercepted the communications of senior government officials and high-profile political figures. However, Neuberger said the government did not think “any classified communications” had been accessed.
In response to the attack, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance aimed at identifying the hackers and preventing future cyberattacks.
Since communications between iPhone and Android users are not encrypted by default, agency officials urged Americans to stop sending texts between the two operating systems or use third-party apps with end-to-end encryption.