Top Trump Officials’ Private Data Can Be Accessed Online: Report
Berlin:
Private information belonging to key security advisors of US President Donald Trump has been found accessible online, as reported by German news magazine Der Spiegel. This revelation adds to the ongoing concerns regarding security breaches within the administration.
Personal details such as cell phone numbers, email addresses, and in some cases passwords of National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth can be located through commercial data search services and leaked data available online.
These contact details, which are primarily current, were used for various online platforms including Instagram, LinkedIn, Dropbox, and location tracking apps.
According to Der Spiegel, the phone numbers and email addresses of Gabbard and Waltz were associated with messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal, potentially making them vulnerable to spyware attacks.
The report suggested that foreign agents might have exploited this vulnerability during a recent incident involving a Signal group chat discussing classified US military plans.
The security breach was highlighted when Waltz accidentally added a journalist to the confidential chat, leading to its exposure in The Atlantic magazine.
Despite multiple requests for comments, the three officials mentioned in the report did not respond to Der Spiegel.
Addressing the concerns raised, the National Security Council confirmed that all accounts and passwords linked to Waltz had been changed in 2019, as mentioned by the German publication.
(Please note that apart from the headline, the content of this article has not been altered by NDTV staff and is sourced from a syndicated feed.)
