Pentagon warns officials that Signal is a target for Russian hackers

The Pentagon has warned government officials about a vulnerability in the Signal messenger that could allow Russian hackers to spy on encrypted conversations, NPR reports.

The report states that Russian hacking groups are using Signal's "connected devices" feature to track people they are interested in. This warning is about phishing attacks, not Signal's security itself, so users are advised to be careful when connecting devices to their account.

The warning comes after a scandal in which a group of high-profile Trump administration officials accidentally included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in a Signal group chat discussing military strikes in Yemen. The chat included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance , National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, and other senior officials. They discussed the timing, targets, and weapons for bombing the Houthis.

The incident was a violation of a new 2023 Department of Defense memorandum that prohibits the use of mobile apps for even unclassified information. Hegseth attempted to deny the authenticity of the chat after the White House confirmed it.

This case has caused a serious resonance, and although the consequences are not yet fully understood, Senate hearings on the matter have already begun.