Is Israel Behind a Signal Breach? Modified Apps Hack Leaked U.S. Secrets

6th May 2025

3 minutes read

Is Israel Behind a Signal Breach? Modified Apps Hack Leaked U.S. Secrets

In a dramatic security development, Israel’s Channel 12 revealed that the Israeli software company TeleMessage is at the center of the Signal scandal.

This comes after a wide-scale cyberattack resulted in the leak of sensitive messages and data belonging to American officials and government institutions.

This incident is part of a wave of cyberattacks that have once again highlighted the fragility of digital security in supposedly protected institutions, causing a major shock to U.S. national security.

Hacking of Government Messaging Apps

Founded in Israel in 1999 and later acquired by the U.S.-based company Smarsh, TeleMessage offered modified versions of encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram to government entities and financial institutions.

The purpose of these versions was to allow message archiving in compliance with U.S. regulatory frameworks, particularly in governmental and financial sectors.

However, hackers managed to breach the company’s servers, gaining access to data including group messages, conversation content, usernames, passwords, and phone numbers.

Among the affected were agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and major financial firms, including a U.S. company specializing in cryptocurrency trading.

National Security Advisor in the Eye of the Storm

The scandal erupted when a photo from a U.S. Cabinet meeting showed Mike Waltz, former National Security Advisor, using a modified version of the Signal app developed by TeleMessage.

American media reported that Waltz made a critical error by accidentally adding a prominent journalist to a discussion group involving senior administration officials who were exchanging military plans concerning Yemen.

A widely circulated American newspaper also reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared highly sensitive information through the same app with unauthorized parties, including members of his family.

Within days, Waltz was dismissed from his position amid official silence regarding the reasons for his removal, before details of the scandal — now known in the media as the “Signal Scandal” — began to leak.

Security Flaws and Lack of End-to-End Encryption

Despite TeleMessage’s claims that its systems allowed the use of Signal while maintaining full encryption, investigations revealed that messages passing through the modified version were not truly end-to-end encrypted. In fact, messages were decrypted during archiving, making them vulnerable to interception or hacking.

The original Signal company promptly issued a statement denying any responsibility for these modified versions, affirming that it does not guarantee the safety of any unofficial or altered version of its app and strongly advises against their use.

Expected Tightening of Digital Security Standards

This incident comes amid previous pledges by the U.S. administration to reduce bureaucracy and enhance transparency within the defense establishment — a stance publicly supported by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearings.

However, observers believe this scandal may prompt a reassessment of how technology is used within sovereign institutions, especially those handling classified and sensitive information.

U.S. authorities — including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and internal oversight bodies — are expected to impose stricter controls on the use of unofficial or third-party modified applications, particularly if they are not approved under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).