House Bans WhatsApp on Congressional Staff Devices Over Security Concerns (axios.com)
(Monday June 23, 2025 @11:20AM (msmash)
from the breaking-news dept.)
- Reference: 0178150613
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/06/23/1441200/house-bans-whatsapp-on-congressional-staff-devices-over-security-concerns
- Source link: https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/whatsapp-house-congress-staffers-messaging-app
The U.S. House chief administrative officer has [1]banned WhatsApp from congressional staffers' government devices citing data vulnerability concerns. The cybersecurity office deemed the messaging app "high-risk" due to lack of transparency in data protection, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks, according to an email obtained by Axios.
Staff cannot download or keep WhatsApp on any House device, including mobile, desktop, or web browser versions.
[1] https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/whatsapp-house-congress-staffers-messaging-app
Staff cannot download or keep WhatsApp on any House device, including mobile, desktop, or web browser versions.
[1] https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/whatsapp-house-congress-staffers-messaging-app
Great this will improve Signal's usage (Score:2)
by blahbooboo ( 839709 )
Anything done that can lower the use of Meta's spyware apps and move folks to Signal is a great idea.
Jul 09, 2024: WhatsApp Security Issues (Score:2)
by Futurepower(R) ( 558542 )
Jul 09, 2024:
[1]New Report Exposes Security Issues With WhatsApp Apps [forbes.com]
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2024/07/07/whatsapp-signal-warning-issued-for-millions-of-apple-iphone-mac-users/
AIM (Score:2)
by awwshit ( 6214476 )
Right back to AIM, no doubt.
But (Score:4, Insightful)
Is Signal still ok?
Re: (Score:3)
Yes, it has those features, but if I were them I'd compile it myself to prevent supply-chain attacks.
At least to verify the hash-- reproducible builds are valuable.
Can't do that with WhatsApp.
Re: (Score:3)
I'm surprised anyone is just allowed to install whatever they want on government devices and this only an issue now.
Re:But (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't know about the House, but Truth Social is the only acceptable app for the executive branch, obviously!
Re: (Score:2)
Signal works great but isnt idiot proof. Sadly, this administration seems to need idiot proof.
This administration's bungling does point to a security flaw in the government using any commercial chat app in that anyone with the app can be accidentally invited which allows a rout into our government's secure communications by both reporters and adversarial governments though. But then if they used the communication channels provided for by our government they wouldnt be able to get around the Federal Records