Should you ditch unencrypted messaging apps? Here’s what the experts say about the FBI’s warning

• The FBI has warned Americans to use encrypted messaging apps
• Advice comes in the wake of a cyberattack targeting US telecoms
• Encrypted messages are only as secure as the device receiving them

In the wake of a massive cyberattack against US telecoms operators, the FBI has urged Americans to use encrypted messaging apps to keep their mobile communications secure. But why does that matter?

The warning comes after one of the largest intelligence breaches in US history. Salt Typhoon, a group linked to China, used a new backdoor malware to hack network operators including AT&T and Verizon, spying on the activity of their customers.

Operational from as early as 2022, Salt Typhoon targets government agencies, political figures and key industries in the US. What’s concerning about this latest attack is its scale and severity.

It targeted flaws in cybersecurity products, such as firewalls and VPNs, as well as backdoors used by law enforcement agencies to monitor foreign targets and enforce telephone wiretaps. According to the FBI, once the hackers had compromised these networks, they were able to deploy further malware and gather information, including the contents of phone calls and text messages.

It’s because of this that the FBI has recommended that Americans switch to the best encrypted apps to protect their communications. But what does that actually mean and will encrypted messaging really keep you safe from cybercriminals? Here’s what the experts suggest.

What do the experts say?

In a briefing to reporters, Jeff Greene, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), compelled US citizens to use encryption.

“Encryption is your friend, whether it’s on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication,” said Greene. “Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible.”

The advice was welcomed by privacy experts, who have long advocated for wider use of encrypted communication systems.

Greg Nojeim, a Senior Counsel and Director of the Security and Surveillance Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology, commented: “If anti-encryption advocates had their way, the United States would now be defenseless to this type of mass snooping from a foreign power.”

What the FBI advice doesn’t address is that the Salt Typhoon hack exploited backdoors put in place to allow law enforcement agencies to obtain communication data from suspected criminals.

Cybersecurity experts have long warned that any…