A Third Party Breached the Intercept's Signal Tip Line
6 hours ago
- #Whistleblower Security
- #Journalistic Ethics
- #Data Breach
- The Intercept's Signal tip line was breached by an unknown third party, who solicited whistleblowers while impersonating the outlet, posing a significant risk to sources.
- Despite becoming aware of the breach, The Intercept only changed its tip line account and cited 'security best practices' without informing the public or potential sources about the compromise.
- The third party, linked to a fraudulent social media account active since February, continued to operate the breached Signal line, and The Intercept has not provided details on the breach's duration or impact.
- The incident highlights a failure in safeguarding confidential sources, raising concerns about operational security and transparency in whistleblower programs.
- Drop Site News, founded by former Intercept staff, reported the breach and ongoing risks, criticizing The Intercept's handling as a catastrophic duty failure.