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Encryption Urged Amid Ongoing Chinese Hacking Threat
In a concerning development, federal officials have alerted the public about a large-scale hacking initiative attributed to Chinese operatives targeting American telecommunications firms. The authorities emphasize that while efforts to mitigate this intrusion continue, employing encryption remains the most effective strategy for safeguarding communications against potential espionage.
Encryption serves as a protective measure that encodes messages, making them readable only by those possessing the correct key. This technology has been integrated into various applications and platforms over the last decade, providing a layer of security that obscures intercepted communications, rendering them indecipherable to unauthorized entities.
Telecommunications companies usually maintain short-term storage of calling and SMS data, which includes call and text records but not audio content. This temporary storage allows hackers, like those associated with the operation known as Salt Typhoon, to access substantial quantities of metadata and some text messages while requiring a more targeted approach to eavesdrop on live conversations.
For consumers seeking secure communication, apps like Signal and WhatsApp offer a user-friendly means of sending encrypted messages and making secure calls. Both platforms utilize end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the intended recipients can decrypt the messages. Notably, even the companies that operate these applications cannot access the encryption keys, which protects users’ communications even under legal pressure.
Signal and WhatsApp automatically encrypt all messages, employing some of the highest standards of encryption available today. Users are also able to make encrypted calls through these platforms, further enhancing their privacy.
Interestingly, many Americans utilize end-to-end encryption without being fully aware. For instance, iMessage users can communicate with one another privately through Apple’s encrypted messaging system, and similarly, Google Messages facilitates the same for its users. However, cross-platform interactions—such as texting from iMessage to Google Messages—employ only the less secure Rich Communication Services, leaving messages vulnerable to potential surveillance.
When it comes to voice calls, users of Google’s and Apple’s dedicated calling apps, like Google Fi and FaceTime, can also benefit from encryption if calls are made through these internet-based systems.
Telegram, often cited as a secure messaging option, offers what it claims to be end-to-end encryption. However, some cybersecurity experts remain skeptical due to the app’s lack of open-source code, limiting independent verification of its security features, and noting that conversations are not encrypted by default.
The FBI’s investigation into the Salt Typhoon hacking campaign began in the late spring or early summer months. U.S. officials suspect that Chinese intelligence has extracted significant amounts of data from major telecom companies such as AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen Technologies, affecting many individuals, particularly in the politically sensitive Washington, D.C. region. Notably, this breach reportedly impacted both the Trump and Harris campaigns and facilitated direct eavesdropping on select communications.
In response to these allegations, China has consistently denied any involvement in cyberespionage, arguing against unfounded claims made by Western governments. A spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in Washington labeled the U.S. assertions as baseless attacks.
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Source
www.yahoo.com