Biggest hack in US history: How to encrypt your communications
I’ve been talking about it for weeks, and now it’s all over the news: Communist Chinese hackers infiltrated telecommunications giants like AT&T and Verizon and wormed their way into government surveillance systems. The massive breach was detected over a month ago, but it’s been going on for over a year.
These hackers even intercepted live phone calls from Donald Trump, J.D. Vance and Kamala Harris’s staffers.
And what’s our government doing about it? The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, just released a “how-to” for secure communications … a whole month later.
Should you panic?
No. Now, it’s not good Chinese hackers are snooping around, but their targets are typically high-profile individuals and politicians. If you’re an average person texting friends and family and not sharing espionage information, don’t worry. Spies, keep reading.
What’s the big deal?
Text messages sent using Apple iMessages are encrypted, but only between iPhones. Text from your iPhone to someone using an Android device, and that message (SMS or RCS) is unencrypted. Android-to-Android texts are generally encrypted through Google Messages, but texting on an Android phone to an iPhone? Not protected.
The same goes for email. Standard Gmail or Outlook messages are vulnerable once they leave that network. Gmail to Gmail? Safe. Gmail to Outlook? No. (More about this below.)
There are tools that fix this problem
When you’re texting about the latest Hallmark movie, privacy probably isn’t at the top of your mind. But it needs to be if you’re sharing financial info (including account numbers, Social Security numbers and PINs), login credentials or passwords, or private health info.
Use a secure messaging app
The key here is end-to-end encryption. Popular picks include Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram, Session and Briar. These apps also have:
- Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): Secure voice calls go through the app instead of vulnerable cellular networks.
- Multifactor authentication (MFA): An extra layer of security for your account.
✅ Trying to get your friends and family to download one of these apps? Send them this article so they know why it matters.
Be smart about emails, too
For sensitive info, putting it in the body of a regular email won’t cut it. StartMail* is my pick if you’re looking for full encryption with just one click. You can also rely on your current email provider but send files as encrypted attachments.
- In Microsoft Office or Google Docs, click the Help button in the menu bar. Click Help again, then type in “Encrypt with password.” Your program will walk you through the steps. Easy.
Don’t count on telecom companies or government agencies to keep you safe — they won’t. But you’re already steps ahead just by reading my website and tuning in to my shows. 🎯 I’ve always got your back!
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Tags: Apple, CISA, Communist China, cybersecurity, encryption, end-to-end encryption, government, hackers, StartMail, telecommunications
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