How the Signal Knockoff App TeleMessage Got Hacked in 20 Minutes
a year ago
- #government
- #encryption
- #cybersecurity
- Mike Waltz, Trump's national security adviser, was caught checking messages on a Signal clone called TeleMessage Signal (TM SGNL), which archives messages, compromising security.
- A hacker easily breached TeleMessage by exploiting weak password hashing (MD5) and outdated JSP technology, accessing sensitive data like usernames, passwords, and chat logs.
- The hacker found a vulnerable URL (/heapdump) on TeleMessage's archive server, exposing unencrypted messages, including those from US Customs and Border Protection and Coinbase.
- TeleMessage's archive server was misconfigured, exposing Spring Boot Actuator's heap dump endpoint, which contained sensitive data like encryption keys and plaintext chats.
- Despite known security flaws, TeleMessage was used by Trump's administration, including on Waltz's phone, risking national security communications.