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A recent cybersecurity breach involving a modified version of the Signal messaging app has raised new alarms over the integrity of encrypted communications used by government officials. The incident, reported by 404 Media and later Reuters, centers on TeleMessage—an Israeli-developed platform designed to archive encrypted messages.
TeleMessage builds upon the open-source Signal protocol but introduces backend infrastructure for storing decrypted communications. This archiving feature, while valuable for institutions that require message retention, appears to have introduced a significant vulnerability that was successfully exploited by a hacker.
The breach came to light shortly after former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz was photographed by Reuters using what appears to be the TeleMessage interface during a cabinet meeting. He was removed from his position the following day amid controversy over his role in inadvertently adding a journalist to a private chat group reportedly used by high-ranking officials to discuss U.S. military activities in Yemen.
According to the report, the attacker claims to have accessed TeleMessage’s backend systems and obtained messages from certain users. While there is no indication that messages from high-level U.S. officials, including Waltz, were compromised, the breach underscores the potential risks associated with modifying secure communication apps for enterprise or government use.
TeleMessage’s core feature—capturing decrypted messages for archiving—makes it fundamentally different from standard Signal. While Signal offers end-to-end encryption to prevent message interception, TeleMessage stores communications after decryption, which creates a critical point of vulnerability if improperly secured. It should be noted, of course, that the use of internet-connected platforms to discuss classified information is problematic in and of itself.
This incident highlights a growing challenge in balancing operational needs, such as compliance and transparency, with the imperative to protect sensitive communications. As governments adopt encrypted messaging solutions, the integrity of modified platforms like TeleMessage will face increased scrutiny from cybersecurity professionals.
