FBI To America: DON'T TEXT ANYONE

[IdeomotorPrisoner]

https://www.newsweek.com/iphone-android-...ck-1996429

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.

I have better idea. Every text message I send is going to now be signed with "Xi Jingping dresses like Winnie The Pooh and goes to furry sex parties."

Just so many things about this I don't like.

I don't like needing to install and use a compulsory encryption app because we can't stop it.

Knowing the PRISM folks can't stop it. And basically admit the Chinese have an upper hand on the spyware front. Like our own backdoor software we insisted on being put in all smart phones was the part of it compromised and they just won't say it.

I honestly don't know how encryption of text messages works or what end to end protection entails, but I do know all those phones were built in China.

So are you gonna fear The CCP? Obviously, China is such a pathetic insecure country they need to know everything everyone says.

I can see why with the hardball with China, especially the app and microchip related export embargo.

Time to stop letting China do China.

[Maxmars]

https://www.newsweek.com/iphone-android-...ck-1996429


I have better idea. Every text message I send is going to now be signed with "Xi Jingping dresses like Winnie The Pooh and goes to furry sex parties."

Just so many things about this I don't like.

I don't like needing to install and use a compulsory encryption app because we can't stop it.

Knowing the PRISM folks can't stop it. And basically admit the Chinese have an upper hand on the spyware front. Like our own backdoor software we insisted on being put in all smart phones was the part of it compromised and they just won't say it.

I honestly don't know how encryption of text messages works or what end to end protection entails, but I do know all those phones were built in China.

So are you gonna fear The CCP? Obviously, China is such a pathetic insecure country they need to know everything everyone says.

I can see why with the hardball with China, especially the app and microchip related export embargo.

Time to stop letting China do China.

Another version of me would focus on the constant call to embrace 'encrypt everything' as a way of life.
But this version of me recalls that this alarming "breach" was discovered in August 2024... and I suspect they "knew" about Salt Typhoon even before that.

It's amazing how DHS keeps the 'fear' factor going as if to maintain 'unease' as a perpetual flavor of communicating online.
No one knows the hardware as well as those who actually make it.  Of course they can exploit it better than most anyone else.

This must be more 'baggage' to bring into the upcoming row over tariffs...  or, I'm just being overly cynical.
I just found a related article... US recommends encrypted messaging as Chinese hackers linger in telecom networks

[Sirius]

This must be more 'baggage' to bring into the upcoming row over tariffs...  or, I'm just being overly cynical.
I just found a related article... US recommends encrypted messaging as Chinese hackers linger in telecom networks

You are spot on and your not going to like it, but this is all tit for tat and this is the way it's going to be for the next 4 years.

btw, WhatsApp is encrypted.

What irritates me about this is that it's the little guys that suffer, what hope does average joe have against a nation state actor and they are going after anything they can online.

[Karl12]

Any more info on those 'secret Chinese police stations' operating in over 50 countries (including the US) - that story seemed to disappear off the radar real quick.

Anyway did see this thread relevant article posted up last week.

If you haven't heard of "Salt Typhoon" or "FamousSparrow' or "UNC4841" or whatever cool nickname cybersecurity researchers are giving to China's shadowy hacker army this week, I have a feeling you'll be hearing about it in the near future. After all, we've known for years that the next spectacular false flag event is likely to be a "virtual flag," and, as Newsweek advises us, "China's Hacker Army Outshines America."



The Chicoms are Coming! Quick, Close the "AI" Gap

[midicon]

I'm sure anything the Chinese are up to is much the same as our playbook.

Im not fussed by any of it.

[Sirius]

I don't like needing to install and use a compulsory encryption app because we can't stop it.

Encrypted data is being horded hoping to be able to crack it when technology matures. Encrypted platforms ends up being control mechanism because it's a closed system.

 

I'm sure anything the Chinese are up to is much the same as our playbook.

Im not fussed by any of it.

The SMB/SME suffer, GDPR is weaponized and many other negative effects to business.  Data is being held as ransom with the threat of disclosure.  It's all a big mess.

[putnam6]

China Russia America Iran etc probably more, now own the American public info, but our intelligence agencies had it first aka the Patriot Act...

80% or more of the GP is compromised beyond repair, hell if somebody stole my identity they would give it back in a week. You take the precautions you can, pay attention, and hope. I learned enough working for Global Computing back in the day, Ive had LifeLock since then 

AS for encryption unless you are texting what you shouldn't be texting shouldn't be a problem, using encryption probably encourages hackers to see what you are encrypting

[ArMaP]

What irritates me about this is that it's the little guys that suffer, what hope does average joe have against a nation state actor and they are going after anything they can online.

How is the average Joe affected? It's much easier to try to get information from 1000 big companies or government officials, than from millions of small businesses or average Joes.

[Sirius]

How is the average Joe affected? It's much easier to try to get information from 1000 big companies or government officials, than from millions of small businesses or average Joes.

Mainly they are affected because of B2B, requirements are passed down.  You also become a target.  It's an arms race that small business can not compete with.  Security is super expensive.

Besides for that they are all easy targets to cause massive disruption.

Honest question, do you really think it's just big business that are attacked?  Why is advisories going out to the general public all the time? These are not just for big corporates https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cyberse...advisories

edit: many of the attacks are automated, 100 or a million business targeted doesn't matter it's the same effort.

[Sirius]

• 50% of UK businesses experienced some form of cyber attack in 2023.
  
• Nearly 1 billion emails were exposed in a single year, affecting 1 in 5 internet users.
  
• Data breaches cost businesses an average of $4.88 million in 2024.
  
• Around 236.1 million ransomware attacks occurred globally in the first half of 2022.
  
• 1 in 2 American internet users had their accounts breached in 2021.
  
• 39% of UK businesses reported suffering a cyber attack in 2022.
  
• Around 1 in 10 US organisations have no insurance against cyber attacks.
  
• 53.35 million US citizens were affected by cyber crime in the first half of 2022.
  
• Cyber crime cost UK businesses an average of £4200 in 2022.
  
• In 2020, malware attacks increased by 358% compared to 2019.
  
• The most common cyber threat facing businesses and individuals is phishing.
  

https://aag-it.com/the-latest-cyber-crime-statistics/