3 weeks ago
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A group of high-ranking US politicians and authorities officials invited a journalist to their backstage chat connected Signal messenger of plans for subject action successful Yemen.
When nan editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeff Goldberg, was accidentally added to a Signal conversation, things took a astonishing turn. The journalist could not initially judge nan authenticity of nan invitation, but nan chat apparently involving high-ranking US politicians and authorities officials discussed circumstantial targets for attacking Huti forces successful Yemen — and a fewer hours later, airstrikes did so return place.
Due to nan quality of nan accusation exchanged, his doubts were raised some by nan truth that top-secret plans were discussed utilizing an app that is not designed to transmit classified data, and by nan free-form statements of nan politicians, including Vice President J.D. Vance. The messages moreover included emoticons, symbolizing nan ceremony of nan cognition carried out.
The editor-in-chief of The Atlantic reacted
Goldberg refrained from publishing specifications astir circumstantial targets and weaponry successful his article astir nan chat, fearing that nan information of those progressive would beryllium compromised.
His explanation of nan leaked news shows that Vice President JD Vance, 1 of nan participants successful nan conversation, was captious of President Donald Trump’s determination to transportation retired nan attacks, stressing that their effects could use Europe much than nan United States.
The arena instantly sparked a activity of chat astir information rules and imaginable violations of laws protecting classified information. Legal experts pointed retired that transmitting concealed information successful this measurement could break astatine slightest nan Espionage Act, particularly if nan app’s configuration provides for automatic deletion of messages.
Trump, however, defended nan usage of Signal, explaining that entree to unafraid devices and premises is not ever imaginable astatine short notice.
Meredith Whittaker defends Signal app
Signal’s CEO, Meredith Whittaker, defended nan app successful an interview pinch Polish media, stressing that Signal maintains afloat end-to-end encryption and prioritizes personification privacy.
She pointed retired that while WhatsApp besides uses encryption technologies designed by Signal, it does not protect metadata to nan aforesaid grade and does not guarantee specified a strict argumentation against collecting aliases sharing personification information.
Whittaker astatine nan aforesaid clip pointed retired that nary exertion tin destruct quality error. The accidental invitation of a journalist to a authorities chat room is precisely 1 illustration of a consequence that cannot beryllium excluded by technological measures alone.
(This communicative was originally published by Computerworld Poland.)
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