Trump Adviser's Signal-like App Hacked: 404 Media Reports (image:signal.org)
Recent news reports raising fresh concerns over secure communications within top levels of US government. On Sunday, tech site 404 Media, reported by Reuters, claimed that the Signal-like app used by US President Donald Trump’s former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz had been hacked.
The app in question is TeleMessage, a messaging platform that caught attention when a Reuters photograph appeared to show Waltz using it at a cabinet meeting. The photograph revealed that Waltz was using an unofficial version of Signal, reportedly to message other White House officials.
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As per 404 Media report, the hacker exploited a vulnerability in TeleMessage and have accessed the app’s backend and intercepted user messages. The 404 media quoted the hacker who stated that they had broken into app’s backend infrastructure and has been able to intercept some of its users’ messages. The media added that the hacker provided them with material but did not intercept messages from Waltz or other Trump cabinet officials.
Reuters could not independently verify the hacker’s claims. Currently being rebranded as Capture Mobile by its parent company Smarsh, TeleMessage has also not responded to requests for comment.
Waltz and the Signal chat leak fiasco
The United States started bombing Yemen on March 15 after US President Donald Trump took to his social media account and announced that he had ordered the military “to launch decisive and powerful” actions against the Houthis. However, Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine said that he was included in a private social media chat regarding upcoming attacks on the Yemeni group.
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Goldberg revealed that he had been added to a group chat where high-level government officials were discussing military actions. He said he knew about the attack at least two hours before it happened because Pete Hegseth, (US Secretary of States) texted him about the war plan.
Then it has been revealed that Waltz had inadvertently added Goldberg in the private chat. He was ousted on Thursday, weeks after the scandal.
