FBI warns that iMessage is a not-so-encrypted messaging app. What’s the solution?

The FBI has recently issued a warning urging iPhone users to stop using iMessage due to security concerns. It specifically points to vulnerabilities that hacking groups like Salt Typhoon can exploit, urging folks to move to apps that offer end-to-end encrypted messaging.

The warning particularly targets iPhone users in the States, who are more likely to use iMessage. Although iMessage does offer some sort of encryption, the FBI also says that you need to switch to a more encrypted messaging platform like WhatsApp or Signal to protect against these risks.

Salt Typhoon is a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group associated with China’s Ministry of Public Security. The FBI, CISA, and NSA have previously said that Salt Typhoon is involved in large-scale cyber espionage campaigns targeting US networks, hence urging US citizens against standard SMS and RCS messaging platforms.

The severity of the Salt Typhoon is insane. Hackers managed to compromise customer call records of an unknown number of Americans. There were at least eight US companies that were affected, including T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.

And it’s not just an American problem. Salt Typhoon have also been attacking other countries in recent years for their infrastructures.

“The Chinese compromised private companies, exploiting vulnerabilities in their systems as part of a global Chinese campaign that’s affected dozens of countries around the world,” said Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for former President Biden.

Apple’s iMessage is extremely popular in the US because it integrates with the iPhone’s closed ecosystem.

In other parts of the world, however, not so much because Android dominates. And, there’s a preference for more cross-platform messaging apps like Meta-owned WhatsApp and Telegram that work well in both iOS and Android.

Earlier this year, WhatsApp also planned to enable interoperability with other apps through a new Universal Messaging system. That means, you will soon be able to chat across platforms without switching the apps. Signal has also made sharing links to video calls possible, just like on Microsoft Teams and Zoom.