Signal Leak: Pentagon Warned About App ‘Vulnerability’ Last Week

A Pentagon-wide memo was dispatched a week ago warning against using the messaging app Signal, even for unclassified information. That would be the app top Trump administration officials – including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (above) and Vice President JD Vance – used to discuss detailed plans for bombing Houthi sites in Yemen, which inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg. Whoops.

A Pentagon-wide advisory that went out one week ago warns against using the Signal, the messaging app, even for unclassified information.

[image or embed] — NPR (@npr.org) March 25, 2025 at 10:08 AM

From NPR:

“A vulnerability has been identified in the Signal messenger application,” begins the department-wide email, dated March 18, obtained by NPR.

The memo continues, “Russian professional hacking groups are employing the ‘linked devices’ features to spy on encrypted conversations.” It notes that Google has identified Russian hacking groups who are “targeting Signal Messenger to spy on persons of interest.”

In a statement to NPR, Signal spokesperson Jun Harada said, “We aren’t aware of any vulnerabilities or supposed ones that we haven’t addressed publicly.”

NPR notes that there’s practically no precedent for the heads of State, Defense, Intelligence and National Security to be conducting military intelligence discussions on an app known to be unsecured.