The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have advised iPhone and Android users to avoid sending standard text messages between these platforms due to security vulnerabilities. Messages exchanged between iPhones using iMessage or between Android devices with Google Messages are encrypted; however, texts sent between iPhones and Android devices lack end-to-end encryption, making them susceptible to interception by cybercriminals. This concern arises amid significant cyberattacks, notably by a group linked to China’s Ministry of Public Security, called Salt Typhoon, which has compromised major U.S. telecommunications networks. To enhance communication security, officials recommend using encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp or Signal, which provide end-to-end encryption across different platforms.
Though space is not specifically mentioned in the FBI’s statement it is extremely probable that Salt Typhoon has already compromised space-based and/or space dependent networks. As I mentioned in a previous post on this topic, many new iPhones now have a feature that allows them to communicate with satellites directly meaning that is possible that malware or viruses from an infected iPhone may be passed to a space asset, which may allow Salt Typhoon to intercept satellite communications and monitor or compromise nearly the entirety of the US communications infrastructure.