Verizon/FAT CHICK Update

 Verizon's abrupt exit from the SMS scene (for lack of another word) has been disclosed.  Major telecoms were hacked and they have not been cleaned up yet.  Gaslighting at its finest.

An "ALL CLEAR" notice is not to be expected any time soon.

Leave it to a telecom to make it your problem and, of course, hiding that information.  And shame on YOU for not using secure messaging.  Everyone knows telecoms are insecure and get perma-hacked all the time.

The following is a Grok synopsis of the issue.

The recently disclosed text message hack involved a significant cyber espionage campaign targeting U.S. telecom firms, attributed to a Chinese hacking group known as Salt Typhoon. Here are the key points based on the available information:

• Scope and Impact: At least eight U.S. telecom companies, including major ones like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, were compromised. The hack affected not only the U.S. but also dozens of other countries. The primary targets were individuals involved in government or political activities, but the breadth of the campaign could potentially affect more users.

  

  

  
• Data Breached: While the hackers mainly stole call records and metadata (information about when, where, and with whom communications occurred), they also accessed some actual audio and text content from a smaller group of victims, particularly those in government or political roles. However, the extent of this particular data breach wasn't fully detailed.

  

  
• Security Recommendations: Due to the vulnerabilities exposed by this hack, especially concerning cross-platform messaging between Android and iOS devices, the FBI and cybersecurity experts have strongly recommended switching to encrypted messaging apps like Signal, WhatsApp, or Google Messages for secure communication. This advice extends to both text messaging and voice communications.

  
  

  

  
  
• Ongoing Threat: Cybersecurity officials have noted that the hackers have not been completely evicted from the networks of some telecom and internet firms, suggesting that the threat might persist. This has led to calls for better security practices and possibly new regulations to secure telecom networks.

  

  
• Political and Legal Reactions: There's been significant political reaction, including a Senate briefing and discussions about new security measures or regulations. China has denied these hacking allegations, calling them "disinformation."

  
• User Privacy Concerns: The hack has raised broader concerns about the privacy and security of traditional SMS messaging, highlighting the need for encryption in all forms of communication. This incident underscores the inherent risks of using unencrypted SMS for sensitive information sharing.

  

This incident is a stark reminder of the ongoing cybersecurity threats to communication networks and underscores the importance of adopting secure communication practices.