Here we go again: another high-stakes warning from the FBI and CISA about the glaring vulnerabilities in America’s communication networks, all while Big Tech fumbles its way toward a solution. The issue? A lack of full end-to-end encryption for text messaging between iPhones and Androids—a gaping hole in security that Chinese hackers are happily exploiting. It’s like watching two of the wealthiest tech giants in the world—Google and Apple—trip over their own shoelaces while Americans’ data hangs in the balance.
Let’s start with the backdrop: the ominously named “Salt Typhoon,” a cyber espionage campaign linked to China’s Ministry of Public Security. These hackers have reportedly wormed their way into U.S. telecom networks, stealing call and text metadata and even content from key political and government figures. This isn’t some Hollywood spy flick; it’s happening right now with chilling implications for national security.
The FBI and CISA are urging Americans to adopt encrypted messaging platforms like Signal or WhatsApp to safeguard their communications. You know it’s bad when even the government—historically a fan of peeking into your data—is saying, “Please, for the love of God, encrypt your texts.” Yet here we are, with cross-platform messaging between Android and iPhone users as insecure as ever.
Apple and Google deserve a fair share of the blame here. Sure, both companies promote end-to-end encryption for their respective ecosystems (iMessage for Apple, Google Messages for Android), but when it comes to communicating between the two platforms, it’s like we’re back in the early 2000s with unsecured SMS. The much-ballyhooed RCS (Rich Communication Services), intended as a replacement for SMS, still doesn’t offer encryption between Androids and iPhones. Why? Apparently, Google and Apple can’t—or won’t—play nice long enough to fix the issue.
And let’s not ignore the delicious irony of the FBI suddenly becoming encryption’s biggest cheerleader. This is the same agency that has spent years whining about “going dark” when encrypted platforms like WhatsApp and Signal make it harder for them to access suspects’ communications. Now, faced with a cybersecurity nightmare from China, they’re forced to tell Americans to use the very tools they’ve criticized. The irony is almost too rich to stomach.
But wait, it gets better. Apple’s new iOS 18.2, rolling out this month, will finally let iPhone users change their default messaging app. Timing, as they say, is everything. Just as the FBI and CISA are urging encrypted communications, Apple conveniently loosens its grip on iMessage. You can almost hear the Android crowd cheering, even as Apple smugly pretends this isn’t a reaction to mounting pressure.
Meanwhile, Google’s RCS rollout feels like a half-baked attempt at progress. They claim encryption for cross-platform messaging is “coming soon,” but offer no timeline. Great, because nothing says urgency like eventually. Maybe instead of throwing PR parties about RCS adoption rates, Google could focus on fixing the one thing that actually matters: security.
Amid an unprecedented cyberattack on telecommunications companies such as AT&T and Verizon, U.S. officials are recommending that Americans use encrypted messaging apps to ensure their communications stay hidden from foreign hackers. https://t.co/RZNAdqz0nl
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 3, 2024
Here’s the bottom line: Americans shouldn’t have to play cybersecurity roulette because tech giants can’t get their act together. There are fully encrypted platforms available now—Signal and WhatsApp, to name two—that can protect your texts, calls, and video chats across platforms. The government is warning us about the very real dangers of insecure communications, and yet Apple and Google are still dragging their feet.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Between China’s aggressive cyber espionage and our own government’s warnings, the message is clear: encryption isn’t optional anymore. It’s time for Apple and Google to prioritize user security over their petty rivalry and deliver the full encryption Americans deserve. Until then, do yourself a favor—ditch SMS and RCS for platforms that actually protect your privacy.
