US government agency warns workers about potential mobile phone hacks in China

US federal agency issues warning against using cell phones for work calls
The warning comes after several US telecom operators were hacked.
The attack was attributed to a salt typhoon, which also compromised a number of internet service providers.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has warned its employees that personal mobile devices should not be used for sensitive work calls due to recent China Study of US Telecommunications Networks.

An email sent by the CFPB confirmed: “While there is no evidence that the CFPB has been the target of unauthorized access, I ask that you comply with these directives so that we reduce the risk that we will be compromised.”

The warning also applies to contractors working at the CFB and highlights the scale of the attack on U.S. telecommunications companies by a China-linked group being tracked as the “Salt Typhoon.”

Telecommunications attack worries federal agencies

There is no indication as to what specific data may have been stolen from telecom service providers, but initial reports suggest that the attackers stole call logs, unencrypted texts and some telephone audio recordings, including audio recordings of a number of high-profile individuals associated with Harris and Trump campaigning together with potentially hundreds of thousands of US citizens.

US officials are also reducing phone use in response to the hack, with a former US official speaking to Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said: “There is a general reticence to use one’s cell phones.”

The salt typhoon also succeeded hack multiple internet providers (ISP) in early October, including Verizon, AT&T and Lumen, while the attackers also gained access to legal wiretapping used for surveillance by US authorities.

As the WSJ notes, the federal agency’s issuance of a special warning against the use of personal cell phones indicates the depth and breadth of the attacks.

“Do NOT conduct CFPB work using mobile voice calls or text messages,” the CFPB email recommended. The email also stated that employees should only use authorized online collaboration platforms such as Cisco WebEx and Microsoft Commands for making calls and sending messages containing private data.