Internet and mobile service providers in the United States are currently under attack by hackers from China. This situation has prompted US officials to urge American citizens to switch to encrypted chat applications like WhatsApp and Telegram. The FBI has reported about the hacking activities related to China. The breach of US telecommunications systems by Chinese hackers is said to be aimed at stealing archives and sensitive information that could threaten US national security. These Chinese hackers have been attempting to breach US information technology security systems for at least 8 months and are still present within US internet and telecommunications networks. FBI reports that China’s attacks target high-ranking US government officials and law enforcement communication channels. They are capable of stealing call histories and SMS messages and even intercepting incoming calls to specific numbers.
Government representatives have met with top US telecommunications companies and cybersecurity experts. Jeff Greene, an official from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, suggested that US citizens use encrypted platforms to communicate whenever possible. He emphasized that “encryption is your friend” and advised against using SMS. Some chat applications like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram have stated that their platforms use encrypted voice and chat calls. Greene also stated that it is impossible to predict when these hackers can be completely expelled from the network. This position is contrary to the previous stance of US authorities, who viewed encryption as hindering investigations and efforts to maintain national security. FBI Director Chris Wray once referred to encryption as a “public safety issue.” US law enforcement has also requested Apple to decrypt the iPhone, which was a central part of criminal investigations.
