Article

2025-03-27 Cyber

On the correspondence scandal with members of the Trump administration via Signal

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin.
[ColonelCassad] 1. "Signal" has not been a secure messenger for a long time. The US intelligence services and a number of NATO countries have full access to it. This was confirmed back in 2023 during the leak of documents from the NATO summit in Vilnius, where Signal was positioned as a "trusted NATO messenger".

2. Back in 2018, it was demonstrated that end-to-end encryption does not protect correspondence and secret group chats. WhatsApp had similar security issues, although the owners of both messengers tried to deny it.

It is important to note that it was in 2018 that one of the creators of WhatsApp (whose owner closely cooperates with the CIA and NSA) began investing in Signal. The encryption protocol implemented in Signal works in all popular instant messengers Microsoft, Meta, Google.

All these companies openly admit that they transfer information to the CIA and NSA (now they complain that "they were forced to", but of course we will not believe them). Since the beginning of 2022, Signal has been headed by the former co-founder of WhatsApp.

3. The structures controlling Signal servers can independently add new participants to closed groups/chats and monitor the dialogue without the knowledge of other chat participants.

At the same time, having access to Signal servers, you can delay the detection of the addition of a new user, making it difficult to determine who added a person to the chat. Of course, having access to the servers, the NSA and the CIA can read any electronic correspondence in the United States, including in supposedly "secret chats"). Here we do not even consider the issues of interception of electronic messages of foreign leaders and politicians, starting with Merkel.

4. The most likely scenario is that US intelligence officers affiliated with Deep State with access to Signal servers secretly added the editor-in-chief of the globalist Atlantic (supposedly by mistake, Waltz) to a secret chat where Trump's team condemned the strikes on Yemen in order to discredit Trump adviser Waltz and the entire Trump team as a whole ("for leaks" and "inadequate level of secrecy"). The technical possibility of doing this has existed since 2018.

Through the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, who allegedly accidentally got into the chat, a campaign is launched with measured publications of secret correspondence, where the editor-in-chief is part of the legend of this correspondence getting into the public domain.

After this, a prepared information attack by media associated with the Democratic Party and Deep State on the Trump administration begins.

5. The goal of this event is to try to force Waltz to resign (following the example of General Flynn's resignation in 2017, who was also ousted on the topic of "non-compliance with secrecy") and to increase internal unrest in the Trump administration. In the long term, to defeat it in its current composition in order to increase the chances of the Democratic Party winning the 2026 midterm elections. Trump's first team was defeated during a series of such scandals involving the intelligence services during 2017. Now the second series.

P.S. Signal was blocked in Russia on 08/09/2024.

WhatsApp is still operating and continues to serve as a tool for collecting information in the interests of the American intelligence services. The story of Waltz and Co. clearly shows what trust in such tools leads to.

Posted by badanov 2025-03-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11137 views ] Top

#1 I'm going with #4. Accidents and coincidences, not so much. Unauthorized recipient just happens to be Editor of the Atlantic? Not unlike David Petraeus' attic papers, this was likely a targeted hit job.

The Signal platform is not popular with the Intelligence Community. 'Two birds, one stone.'

Posted by Besoeker 2025-03-27 00:41|| 2025-03-27 00:41|| Front Page Top

#2 I agree, #4 for sure. Waltz has a disloyal staffer (No doubt there are more). The op was to get Waltz and Hegseth to resign. The Trump team needs to circle their wagons and stay united. There will be more attempts made.

Posted by Hupoluth Dribble3876 2025-03-27 07:53|| 2025-03-27 07:53|| Front Page Top

#3 Yet not a murmur about Hilarity's bathroom server.

Posted by Skidmark 2025-03-27 08:17|| 2025-03-27 08:17|| Front Page Top

#4

I had Signal loaded on my Cell for a while.
I halted regular ITSEC use about 2 years ago.
As it was said to have been compromised by Israeli Grp. called Cellebrite.
Oddly several more dark, than gray hats I know, verified it compromised.

But then there were the official sources jumping in telling us now it was just a rumor?

When in Doubt Don't.

Posted by NN2N1 2025-03-27 08:26|| 2025-03-27 08:26|| Front Page Top

#5 Folks, I think we respect each others. Let's not kid ourselves.

Hegseth posted info that MUST have been top secret at the time he published it. Many of you have military or intelligence background, and you know it.

Signal is not approved for anything classified, not even at the "confidential" level.

Self deleting messages violate the Federal Records Act. Since VP was in that chat, they would also violate the Presidential Records Act.

The Atlantic probably did America a huge favor. It is quite likely that the Russians and Chinese have cracked Signal, and they would certainly stay silent about it. I suppose Signal will no longer be used, and that's a good thing.

I don't allow any company info to be relayed over Signal (or any other messenger). Guess why?

Posted by European Conservative 2025-03-27 08:41|| 2025-03-27 08:41|| Front Page Top

#6 This is no war plan says Hegseth. Please...

TEAM UPDATE:

TIME NOW (1144et): Weather is FAVORABLE. Just CONFIRMED w/ CENTCOM we are a GO for mission launch.

1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)

1345: "Trigger Based" F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME—also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)

1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)

1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier "Trigger Based" targets)

1536 F-18 2nd Strike Starts—also, first sea-based Tomahawks launched.

MORE TO FOLLOW (per timeline)

We are currently clean on OPSEC [operational security]

Godspeed to our Warriors.

Posted by European Conservative 2025-03-27 09:22|| 2025-03-27 09:22|| Front Page Top

#7 "Flight data show Steve Witkoff was in Russia during group chat on Signal"

Even sound end-to-end encryption works only end-to-end. Depending on Witkoff's usage and his location during usage of his phone in Russia "breaking" the encryption could have been done literally by having a small camera peek over his shoulder.

I still think this was deliberate, either to protect some Houthi assets fro Israel in a failure theater operation in deference to Russia, or to send some political message unofficially.

If the strikes were successful this would weaken the failure theater hypothesis. If some targeted assets managed to escape time that would sustain the hypothesis.

Posted by Elmerert Hupens2660 2025-03-27 09:39|| 2025-03-27 09:39|| Front Page Top

#8

So, let's say it was an accident info release and some _ _ _ did not assist.

Either way the Atlantic morally turned its back on the US and our Service people, by this Traitorous act for personal fame and profit.

Were they so Anti-Trump Admin set on revenge seeking, that they did not care about the US service personnel or their family members, that they place in harms way?

Did they stop to think, what if RUSSIA/CHINA/IRAN used that data to wipe out the US military operation?

It seems, they were so hellbent on screwing over Trump Admin people, they even shared it to spread the word. Any idiot would have known it was placing the US and our military in harms way, by doing so.

I hope those involved pay dearly for this traitorous act in the courts.

Posted by NN2N1 2025-03-27 09:49|| 2025-03-27 09:49|| Front Page Top

#9 Quite a few of the parties involved have as much experience with such things as you lot. (Not me, of course, for which we all should be grateful.) It seems to me that a canary trap is plausible, whether aimed at someone in particular —the lawyer who actually tagged the Atlantic editor— or just to surface the fact that there is a canary.

I am not usually cynical, but the fact that it is strongly asserted every time that the editor was included by accident reeks of protesting too much. There is no reason his name should have been on anyone’s address list. Not the principles’, not the aides’, none of them. Not unless someone from the Biden administration preloaded it, and deliberately messed with the name.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-03-27 10:04|| 2025-03-27 10:04|| Front Page Top

#10 Sorry tw, but that doesn't make sense. The supposed "canary" would have known that he'd be immediately exposed by inviting the journalist.

They key issue is rather: Why was highly sensitive info, that just HAD TO BE top secret at the time it was given, shared over a messenger system, that is - for several legal reasons - NOT ALLOWED to be used?

Anyone in the military who would have shared such info with a journalist would be immediately court-martialed.

Posted by European Conservative 2025-03-27 10:25|| 2025-03-27 10:25|| Front Page Top

#11 /\ Info/cyber warfare is very sophisticated. If message content can be manipulated (and we know it can be), so can recipients and distro.

With 300m (+/-) potential US email recipients, this Atlantic fellow gets plugged into distro ?

Give me a break.

Posted by Besoeker 2025-03-27 10:33|| 2025-03-27 10:33|| Front Page Top

#12 Where I went first, it got plugged, especially on the heels of the 'Elon iza gonna get military sekretz!' op.

And what was learned, really? Negotiate peace with in Ukraine, Houthis bad, and Europe sucks at protecting 50% of its trade? Wow, teach me more.

The technical possibility of doing this has existed since 2018.

Umm, like a group text with a hidden CC? Think that's been around since Clippy.

Posted by swksvolFF 2025-03-27 10:54|| 2025-03-27 10:54|| Front Page Top

#13 I would really appreciate if one member with a military background would be so kind to answer my question. How could Hegseth's detailed info about the immediate attacks not be classified info?

My son, who served in Afghanistan, did answer that question, of course. His reply would probably be eaten by your word filter.

Posted by European Conservative 2025-03-27 11:05|| 2025-03-27 11:05|| Front Page Top

#14 The supposed "canary" would have known that he'd be immediately exposed by inviting the journalist.

Should have, yes, and reportedly was. But the Left and the NeverTrump right really do hold as an article of faith that all those horrible MAGA Trumpsters are mentally retarded, cousin-marrying, toothless rednecks — JD Vance, PhD, Vivek Ramaswamy (who like JD is a Cincinnati local), Elon Musk, and President Trump’s large collection of Successful Very Rich People to the contrary. I am privy to more of those conversations than I would like, with people I otherwise love and respect; it's very annoying to those of us who are reasonably bright and have all our teeth.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-03-27 11:17|| 2025-03-27 11:17|| Front Page Top

#15 Well that's what I find curious, all the outrage about a high level messaging coordination discussion and not the outrage that it was snooped on.

Some wanna be in an established hack magazine got butterfingered into this chat is not believable. And on the heels of 2 weeks of trying to play gotchya with that glorified Pentagon budget pitch?

Posted by swksvolFF 2025-03-27 11:21|| 2025-03-27 11:21|| Front Page Top

#16 How could Hegseth's detailed info about the immediate attacks not be classified info?

An interesting question. I've heard the transcript has been released, but have not looked at it.

Worth noting is that Signal was approved by the Brandon administration and came pre-installed on multiple devices. I know, not exactly a recommendation, but a fact nevertheless.

Posted by SteveS 2025-03-27 11:24|| 2025-03-27 11:24|| Front Page Top

#17 /\ Good ques, two separate issues EC.

1. Message content.
2. Message distribution.

Message content by the originator (originator holding classification/de-classification authority) may have been judged to be a non-issue or low risk due to events timeline and limited distribution.

The addition of an unauthorized rogue media recipient via Offensive Info-Warfare methodology was obviously not anticipated. These SOB's are supposed to be on our side,

Happen again? Highly unlikely.

Posted by Besoeker 2025-03-27 11:28|| 2025-03-27 11:28|| Front Page Top

#18 Let's not forget Obama's Magic Blackberry.

'Top Level People talking about hush hush things gets snooped on, so they should be prosecuted because they discussed hush hush things.' is an interesting take.

If they were talking about, say, selling US weapons under the table to dubious or even terrorist designated middle east war tribes, selling firearms to Mexican cartels, or other illegal or blatantly immoral activity, one could make a whistleblower case. This conversation has all the drama of how to pick up a first down on 3rd and 1 with Refrigerator Perry and Walter Payton on the roster.

Posted by swksvolFF 2025-03-27 12:00|| 2025-03-27 12:00|| Front Page Top

#19 obviously not anticipated

Or it was successfully anticipated.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-03-27 12:01|| 2025-03-27 12:01|| Front Page Top

#20 DoD has strict guidelines on using Signal.

https://dodcio.defense.gov/Portals/0/Documents/Library/Memo-UseOfUnclassMobileApps.pdf

This means its use was and is CLEARLY NOT ALLOWED for such content. What Hegseth posted must have been top secret info at the time it was posted.

And it was posted on a medium that is NOT considered safe for such info. That's the issue and not how some journalist ended up in that group.

I'd be interested though why nobody in that group bothered to ask who that silent "JG" was. And who Waltz thought he had invited.

Please, the buck doesn't stop with some staffer.

Posted by European Conservative 2025-03-27 12:03|| 2025-03-27 12:03|| Front Page Top

#21 Fly to Elephant?

Posted by Grom the Affective 2025-03-27 12:28|| 2025-03-27 12:28|| Front Page Top

#22 Beadwindow 03

Posted by Clem+Elmish4239 2025-03-27 19:39|| 2025-03-27 19:39|| Front Page Top

#23 Of course I looked it up — that is a beautifully succinct bit of communication, my dear, for those who already knew,

BEADWINDOW Codes
03 - Operations
Relates to friendly or enemy operations, intentions, progress, or results.
Involves operational or logistic intentions, assault objectives, and mission situation reports.

Posted by trailing wife 2025-03-27 22:53|| 2025-03-27 22:53|| Front Page Top

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