Signal Clone App Used By Trump Official Suspended After a Hack
The company behind an unofficial version of Signal, seemingly used by Trump administration officials, has temporarily halted its services after a reported breach, which may have exposed sensitive messages.
Smarsh, an Oregon-based company that operates the TeleMessage app, said it’s “investigating a potential security incident” and temporarily suspending all services “out of an abundance of caution.”
TeleMessage is a little-known Israeli company that offers modified versions of popular messaging apps like Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat. These versions are tailored for government use, primarily to archive communications.
The app gained significant attention when Congressman Mike Waltz inadvertently revealed its use during a cabinet meeting with President Trump. A photo captured Waltz’s phone open to the TeleMessage app, and a closer examination of the image suggests that Vice President JD Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard may also be using the app.
The stolen data includes sensitive information such as the names and contact details of government officials, as well as indications of which government agencies and private companies may be using TeleMessage’s services, according to 404 Media, which first reported on this. The hacker also reportedly gained access to usernames and passwords for TeleMessage’s backend panel.
The hacker even used these credentials to send a message to a Signal group discussing the cryptocurrency bill.
“I would say the whole process took about 15-20 minutes. It wasn’t much effort at all,” the hacker said.
This report comes on the heels of the “Signalgate” incident in March, where Congressman Mike Waltz accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic, to a Signal group chat discussing US military plans in Yemen. While Trump administration officials initially defended Waltz, the Pentagon launched an investigation into the matter.
Just last week, Waltz was removed from his position as National Security Advisor and appointed as the US Ambassador to the United Nations, a move that President Trump described as an “upgrade.”
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