A March incident in which US officials accidentally invited a journalist to join an encrypted Signal group via which they discussed potential military action in Yemen has been dubbed “Signal-gate”.
Critics have pointed to the episode as an example of often rudimentary security failings rather than one that reflects on the end-to-end encrypted Signal app itself.
“Unequivocally, no blame in this falls on Signal,” said Kenn White, director of the Open Crypto Audit Project.
US director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and secretary of defence Pete Hegseth, who both participated in the discussion, have said Signal can come pre-installed on government devices, a claim denied by multiple sources.
Hegseth and Gabbard have also said the conversation was not classified, while a US Army veteran said even unclassified material is carefully protected.
