The White House has confirmed that a ninth telecom firm has been compromised by a significant Chinese espionage initiative linked to the Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. This breach allows Chinese hackers to access private communications, including text messages and phone calls, from millions of Americans. In response to the escalating threat, US officials are urging heightened cybersecurity measures, including the use of end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal and the abandonment of unsafe SMS-based two-factor authentication. The government is also calling for a crackdown on telecoms to enhance their security protocols, as systemic flaws have been identified that contributed to these breaches. The FBI has issued warnings regarding the dangers of using SMS for authentication, stressing the importance of securing mobile devices, particularly for high-ranking officials and sensitive targets.