Overview
- TeleMessage, an unofficial Signal clone used by U.S. officials, has suspended all services following a confirmed cybersecurity breach.
- Hackers accessed archived data, including messages and credentials tied to government agencies like CBP and private firms like Coinbase, but not high-level cabinet officials' communications.
- The breach revealed that TeleMessage’s archived messages are not end-to-end encrypted, highlighting vulnerabilities in compliance-driven communication tools.
- Senator Ron Wyden has formally requested a Justice Department investigation into potential False Claims Act violations and national security risks linked to TeleMessage.
- TeleMessage’s parent company, Smarsh, has engaged an external cybersecurity firm to investigate, while legislative and judicial inquiries continue.