Hack Exposes Sensitive Messages: TeleMessage Suspends Services Amid Controversy

The communications app TeleMessage, used by Mike Waltz, former national security adviser to Donald Trump, is temporarily suspending its services following a reported hack that exposed sensitive messages. Oregon-based Smarsh, which operates TeleMessage, announced via email to Reuters that it is “investigating a potential security incident” and is taking precautionary measures by halting all services.

A photograph captured Waltz using TeleMessage, an unofficial version of the encrypted messaging app Signal, during a cabinet meeting. Just one day later, Waltz was removed from his position, with Trump appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio as interim replacement and nominating Waltz as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

This development follows weeks of controversy surrounding Waltz's creation of a Signal group intended for real-time updates on U.S. military actions in Yemen, which gained attention when a prominent U.S. journalist was accidentally added to the chat. The situation escalated after reports surfaced that a hacker accessed TeleMessage’s back-end infrastructure, intercepting user messages. Tech news outlet 404 Media confirmed the breach, stating that the hacker provided them with stolen material, some of which has been independently verified. Smarsh has yet to respond to requests for further details regarding the breach.