Messaging app seen in use by Mike Waltz suspends service....

px_eliezer_

Messaging app seen in use by Mike Waltz suspends service after hackers claim breach.
Mike Waltz seemed to use the app at last week’s Cabinet meeting, according to a photograph published by Reuters.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/telemessage-suspends-services-hackers-say-breached-app-rcna204925

TeleMessage is similar to Signal, also involved in controversy (both in general and also relating to Mike Waltz).

TeleMessage is owned by “Smarsh”.

Which is funny because “SMERSH” is a fictional Soviet spy agency meaning “Death to Spies”, from the early James Bond books.

Donoreo

px_eliezer_ Which is funny because “SMERSH” is a fictional Soviet spy agency meaning “Death to Spies”, from the early James Bond books.

Exactly what I thought of first 🙂

HELLFIRE

Another take on things, FWIW https://www.404media.co/the-signal-clone-the-trump-admin-uses-was-hacked/
https://archive.is/16mBi

In particular, THIS is what should send shivers down your security spine

“I would say the whole process took about 15-20 minutes,” the hacker said, describing how they broke into TeleMessage’s systems. “It wasn’t much effort at all.”

A Signal spokesperson previously told 404 Media in email “We cannot guarantee the privacy or security properties of unofficial versions of Signal.”

Regards

egeezer

Waiting for the inevitable announcement;
“We take our national security very seriously.”

antdude

https://www.wired.com/story/how-the-signal-knock-off-app-telemessage-got-hacked-in-20-minutes/

egeezer

antdude
Thanks for the update, it’s quite informative. I’m only mildly surprised that the supposed high security communications app is a creation and property of a foreign country. The nature of the vulnerability is not inconsistent with being an intentional backdoor that was instituted with its protection being by “security by obscurity”.

HELLFIRE

Usual preface, sharing strictly and solely from a security interest POV to the exclusion of everything else :

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/hacker-who-breached-communications-app-used-by-trump-aide-stole-data-across-us-2025-05-21/ – Reuters:Hacker who breached communications app used by WH aide stole data from across US government

Hacker intercepted communications data from more than 60 government officials

Officials compromised include disaster responders and diplomatic staff

Expert says metadata intercepted by hacker could pose counterintelligence risk

As egeezer said :

egeezer Waiting for the inevitable announcement;
“We take our national security very seriously.”

/sarcasm

Regards