The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.

By Jeffrey Goldberg

  • InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world
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    11 days ago

    Just a reminder that they chose to use Signal for a reason, and those are also reasons we normal citizens should use Signal too! At least try and talk your closest relatives into dumping WhatsApp for it.

    • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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      10 days ago

      Yeah, this article was truly a fascinating read! The one thing that surprised me from Goldberg though, was that he continually questioned their use of signal. I mean, why wouldn’t they use it?

      They could try to develop their own secure messaging app, but what would be the point of that when another already exists and they can verify the code is air tight because it’s open source. And, developing their own app would mean the possibility of relying on software that could contain unknown bugs or vulnerabilities.

      The only safe cryptographic systems are open source ones.

      • jmore@lemm.ee
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        10 days ago

        Because they did so to avoid official channels which get log and recorded. And yes, the Pentagon has their own apps, what do you think? Yes, using signal is INSANE

        • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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          10 days ago

          Yes, they have some secure communications systems, but none that are safe to use on a mobile device. Signal is literally more advanced than what they’re using. It’s far from insane.

          • Boddhisatva@lemmy.world
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            10 days ago

            Signal is not safe for them to use. The pentagon issued a warning last year that Signal was not safe for non-public communications. Google also put out a threat alert about it more than a month ago.

            One of the means used by Russia is crafting special QR codes, that take advantage of the Connected Devices feature, and sending them to users. If the user is tricked into scanning the code, then the hacker’s device will then be copied in on all of that user’s Signal messages. I wouldn’t trust any one of these people to be smart enough to recognize a phishing attempt like that. I would be surprised if one or more foreign powers weren’t also copied in on all these messages too.

            It is beyond stupid for these people to be using an app like this for confidential or secret communications.