Tech Site Reveals Hack of App Used by Trump Adviser, Similar to Signal

A security vulnerability in an unauthorized edition of the secure communication application Signal Has sparked worries regarding the susceptibility of communications at the uppermost tiers of the U.S. government, as per a report from tech site 404 Media.

The application called TeleMessage, which replicates the features of Signal, was allegedly utilized by ex-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. This information comes from a Reuters image depicting his use of the app at a cabinet meeting. The weakness that was taken advantage of by the attackers is related to this tool. hacker spotlights possible security dangers linked to employing non-official communication channels for critical government talks.

On Thursday, Waltz was dismissed from his position, roughly a few weeks following the outbreak of controversy surrounding his establishment of a Signal group designed for sharing instantaneous reports about American military operations in Yemen. This messaging channel garnered significant notice when it came to light that either Waltz himself or an individual utilizing his account inadvertently included a well-known journalist within the group.

The disclosure that Waltz was utilizing TeleMessage, seeming to share similarities with Signal in terms of both design and capabilities, has further amplified worries about the safety of his conversations.

404 Media cited an anonymous hacker who claimed responsibility for breaching TeleMessage's core systems and gaining access to intercepted communications from several of its customers. The outlet stated that the hacker shared evidence with them, portions of which were corroborated through independent verification by 404 Media.

The report stated that the hacker did not manage to intercept communications involving Waltz or other members of the Trump cabinet.

Reuters could not independently verify the report. Messages seeking comment from TeleMessage and its corporate owner, Portland, Oregon-based Smarsh, were not immediately returned. Messages seeking comment from Waltz and the White House also weren't immediately returned.

Signal is an end-to-end encrypted messaging platform whose technology is meant to frustrate hostile surveillance.

Smarsh’s offering, known currently under the name TeleMessage and soon-to-be rebranded as Capture Mobile, aims to intercept these communications post-decryption for safekeeping and storage purposes. This extra feature may aid organizations in adhering to governmental regulations regarding record preservation; however, improper execution could potentially create vulnerabilities from a security standpoint.

A representative from Signal informed Reuters earlier this week that the firm "is unable to ensure the confidentiality or security features of non-official versions of Signal."

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