FBI Asks Apple and Android Users to Stop Sending Text Messages

FBI  Asks Apple and Android  Users to  Stop Sending Text Messages — You Could Be at Risk.Not a valid attachment ID.
Encryption Issues Leave Your Text Messages in the  Hands of  Cybercriminals
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Have you ever wondered how secure your mobile conversations really are? It's not that no one  cares about your  grocery list or the gossip you have with your best friend, but we (most of us)  think that our conversations are conversations that only reach  no one, but  now the FBI and CISA are warning us  about something we could never imagine. With the massive cyberattacks that have  occurred in recent years, traditional text  messaging (what we know as SMS)  is under  scrutiny.
While it is true that we  are currently talking to other instant messaging  apps that have developed  adequate privacy policies, SMS and RCS  are quite behind in these  areas, so they would be an easy target for a  cybercriminal and not looking for  a specific  profile. But if your information falls into the wrong  hands... oh.
Below, we  explain everything we know and how to protect your confidential  information. What's going  on? A big problem: SMS and RCS  are not end-to-end  encrypted. What does this mean? Your messages can be intercepted at some point  during their transmission. It may  sound silly, but there are specialized  hacking groups,  like the  one called "Salt Typhoon," that are allegedly linked to the Chinese government (and have already used special tools to access sensitive data in the United  States). Although the direct theft of the  message content has not been confirmed, the attackers obtained metadata (information that includes details such as who  is communicating with whom, when and from  where) enough to  piece together a puzzle that compromises  someone's privacy..)
Why should you  worry? It doesn't matter  that you are not an  "important" person and you think  that no one would want to read your messages, but the risks go beyond someone finding out  that you have a secret. Cybercriminals can track your movements and create profiles with your data, sell your  information, and even commit fraud with the information they have about you.  The FBI  especially emphasizes that citizens must protect themselves and  be very careful about the information they  provide through these  channels.
Why is encryption so  important? Think of encryption as a door to which only you  and the other person have the  key. The  protection level of  this door is maximum, right? Now imagine  that someone could  just knock on the door and it  opens, exposing all  of your information and your life, but with end-to-end encryption, they would  just open the door and there would be nothing behind  it.
What we mean by this is that end-to-end encryption is not foolproof,  which means that messages can be  intercepted, but at least they  cannot identify or  decipher them.
Tips to protect yourself
To improve your digital security, you  don't need much, just be a little more  careful and change a few  things. Change your messaging app.  There's Telegram, Whatsapp,  Signal, and even iMessage for iPhone users, end-to-end encrypted platforms that are  secure for  keeping conversations going. Stop using SMS to communicate important things because  it does not guarantee  complete privacy (especially between users of different operating  systems)
Don't be one of those who  don't update their phone. Updates are necessary to protect against  potential threats.
Always enable two-factor authentication (MFA)
Avoid suspicious messages. If  you are not sure if the link they send you is real or not,  it is better to be safe than sorry!
Experts  like Jake Moore (from ESET) emphasize that encryption is not a luxury, but a necessity in  today's digital world,  as privacy is a right that we  all must  protect. Digital threats  exist, but you are  the one who can stay  one step ahead of cybercriminals and keep them away from you. Always remember to check that encryption is enabled and  you will avoid  any unnecessary  damage!

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