A recent warning from the FBI and CISA (US cyber defense agency) urges Americans to use fully encrypted messaging apps for cross-platform communication due to ongoing Chinese hacking of US networks. The warnings come after Apple’s adoption of RCS, a successor to SMS, left some security gaps.
According to officials, fully end-to-end encrypted messaging is the best defense against potential content interception. Even major tech companies like Google and Meta advise users to use encrypted apps, as they cannot see content even with their own access.
CISA’s Jeff Greene suggested that Americans should use encrypted apps for all communications, including text messaging. The FBI also issued an alert jointly with NSA and other Five Eyes agencies warning of ongoing telco network hacks.
The lack of end-to-end encryption in RCS (cross-platform messaging) is a major concern, despite Google and Apple separately advising Android and iPhone users to rely on end-to-end encryption. GSMA and Google have assured that encryption will be added to RCS, but no timeline has been set.
In light of this warning, security experts recommend using fully encrypted platforms like Signal or WhatsApp until RCS adds full encryption between iPhones and Androids. Even Facebook Messenger now offers fully encrypted messaging, making standard SMS/RCS texting even more insecure.
This situation highlights the importance of timing in communication security, particularly with Apple’s upcoming iOS update allowing iPhone users to change their default messenger from iMessage.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2024/12/03/fbi-warns-iphone-and-android-users-stop-sending-texts