Signal's end-to-end encryption is useless if one end (someone's phone) has been hacked. It is, however, good for hiding stuff from public records laws. This is a huge scandal.
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AI on people's devices scans texts and messages after they have been decrypted. AI on handheld phones breaks encryption and transmits the data back to the databases at the AI company. It's an encryption runaround.
I'd like to think this is the beginning of a domino chain that ultimately takes down Trump and his goons, but since Republicans will NEVER have a backbone or integrity to do what's right, this will fizzle out by the end of the week.
We discovered in the UK that use of these messaging apps causes near fatal memory loss in politicians who have been up to no good. The phones involved also suddenly auto-delete loads of messages and then become lost. Very difficult to explain.
I hope Congress subpoenas his phone to check out the Signal content. Who knows what other chat conversations Witkoff participated in while he was in Russia.
Although... Republicans aren't going to do anything without a lot of pressure. Do their constituents even care?
The endpoints, one encrypting and one decrypting could be compromised. These security blunders are amateur. Also putting Starlink on the rooftop of the OEB. Data going where?
These messages are subject to Federal Records Act. Has anyone made FRA complaints or FOIA'd these messages yet, or discussed w/ FOIA experts? I might be wrong, but thought disclosure to journalist waives any privilege that might otherwise be asserted against disclosure under FOIA.
I suspect they use Signal not because of auto-delete but because it's unlikely to be held or copied onto a government server. Even manual deletion is an FRA violation, if the messages weren't copied to some other storage format and retained.
If it was in the end encryption of a publicly available app it’s not good enough. This information belonged in a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility). Full stop. No ambiguity.
Just heard Leon Panetta say whoever added the journalist’s name to the chat should be fired to resign.
Whoever added the #journalist to the group may deserve a #medal for deliberately outing the #scandal to the world.
When dealing with the #mafia, it’s generally not a good idea to deliberately cross them…but making a #foolish #mistake, well, we all do that at times 🤭
Mistakes, scandals, and failures no longer signal catastrophe. The crucial thing is that they be made credible, and that the public be made aware of the efforts being expended in that direction.
Jean Baudrillard
Get on the Scandal line. Take a number, take a chair, take a chill pill because you’re in for a long wait. The criminality, the incompetence and hubris of this cabal leaves nothing to the imagination. Orange slime nods to the worst of the cesspool and there they are.
FINALLY someone reporting on the real problem here. Signal is encrypted but not national security. It’s what a drunken philanderer might use to talk to a side chick while keeping the wife in the dark.
The only reason I even knew about Signal is because a tech collective I follow recommended using it vs WhatsApp to reduce the risk of government surveillance. 😒
It's also useless if you aren't entirely certain of the authenticity and security of the accounts being messaged. Even if you don't accidentally include a journalist, you might be including someone who is logged in on multiple devices (perhaps an old tablet they've forgotten about).
The fact that messages disappear from the VP’s phone is a violation of federal law all by itself. Thank god these idiots are too stupid to get away with this.
The maintenance of government records is key to a free society. Maybe these records stay classified for a long time, but they remain intact, except for names of our operatives, even that was violated, for ease of thoughtless dipshits, under the "guidance," of a drunkard with a low skill set.
I see your point, but let's not forget that end-to-end encryption like Signal's still provides a solid layer of protection against mass surveillance and casual snooping 🤫. However, you're right that if a device is compromised, no amount of encryption can save you 📊.
The info leaking is one (huge) issue. But the other, arguably even bigger, issue, which is what @froomkin.bsky.social is talking about, is that this info needs to be retained as per the Presidential Records and/or the Federal Records acts.
Just hiding this info in a non-retained medium is criminal.
This is merely the leak we know about, and only because it involved the editor at the Atlantic. How many other mishaps have occurred that we have no knowledge of? How many compromised — or dead — intelligence assets?
This is the predictable result when you take a bunch of unqualified novices and shoo them all into national security positions. Turns out a vote for Donald Trump was a vote for throwing the doors of the country's most sensitive data wide to the world.
I can’t believe that under INFOSEC/zero trust rules that DOD comms (sensitive or not) are allowed over 5G/LTE or public WiFi. I know of county governments that take this more seriously.
And once again nothing will happen. How long will the American people put up with this. Forever, because they are watching Fox news. Or no news at all.
why the public records evasion part of the story isn’t a bigger deal? Clearly that was the intent.
That plus an option to snark about long term allies.
The guys running these guys, “this is happening just according to plan bwah ha ha”
That seems important. Also reported several of the fools were joining via Starlink. Would their phones save anything?
I'm finding it hard to believe Goldberg signed off after a few moments. What journalist would do that? If he stayed on he probably would have seen JD joking about nukeing France.
Per Goldberg, he did NOT sign off after a few moments. He was on the chat for at least 1 day. He started getting messages the day b4 the strikes & stayed in the chat until after the strikes occurred. He then realized the thread was real & exited.
Thanks. I hope he made screen shots of a lot more than what we have seen. Still unfortunate he exited as the discussion taking place on Signal is clearly a security risk and likely illegal.
Hiding info from public records is the scandal. What other horribleness is this republican regime planning to perpetrate on its citizens and the world through signal that we don’t know about?
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A Republican party as support team who put them into position.
The Russians have it all.
https://aiwillybillhuman.substack.com/p/trump-administrations-ultimate-spy
Although... Republicans aren't going to do anything without a lot of pressure. Do their constituents even care?
https://simplex.app
Just heard Leon Panetta say whoever added the journalist’s name to the chat should be fired to resign.
When dealing with the #mafia, it’s generally not a good idea to deliberately cross them…but making a #foolish #mistake, well, we all do that at times 🤭
#DoubleAgent
#DestroyFromWithin
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/signal-group-chat-attack-plans-hegseth-goldberg/682176/?gift=A0n-OJmdA77I0xI8cqjGg8Qf5xnQLPY3cil9CbEao54&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
I ditched Signal years ago after hearing about this and other vulns regarding physical access to my phone.
Jean Baudrillard
Or a drunken philanderer.
https://bsky.app/profile/desqatarian.bsky.social/post/3llad3ikidc2x
Just hiding this info in a non-retained medium is criminal.
Using the Signal app is a clear a violation of multiple records retention laws.
That plus an option to snark about long term allies.
The guys running these guys, “this is happening just according to plan bwah ha ha”
🚨WITKOFF WAS IN RUSSIA🚨
Joining the chat on an unsecured civilian cell phone IN RUSSIA!!!!!!!
I'm finding it hard to believe Goldberg signed off after a few moments. What journalist would do that? If he stayed on he probably would have seen JD joking about nukeing France.