Group chats Archives

AppWizard

May 7, 2025

Another messaging app used by the White House is in hot water

Former National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has come under scrutiny for using TeleMessage, an app that has recently experienced a security breach resulting in the theft of sensitive data, including direct messages and group chats. High-ranking officials from the Trump administration, including Waltz, Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, were reported to have used the app. A photograph captured Waltz during a Cabinet meeting appearing to use TeleMessage to access Signal messages, raising concerns due to his previous controversy involving a chat room on Signal that included a journalist. The security vulnerabilities of TeleMessage have been criticized, particularly as it lacks the robust encryption features of Signal. The app was initially marketed as a solution for preserving messages for government record-keeping, but its reliability has been questioned.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

WhatsApp users ‘refuse’ to use app after new Meta AI tool can’t be removed

The Meta AI logo, a blue circle with pink and green hues, has launched for users in the UK on WhatsApp, allowing them to interact with a chatbot for assistance. A Meta representative stated that users can utilize Meta AI to settle debates or ask questions while ensuring privacy, as it can only read shared messages and keeps personal messages end-to-end encrypted. Users are encouraged to explore its capabilities, but reactions have been mixed, with some expressing a desire to remove the feature. Many users feel reluctant to abandon WhatsApp due to its widespread use among their contacts. Recent updates to WhatsApp include improvements to group chats, events, calls, and new functionalities like adding music to statuses and customizing chat themes.

AppWizard

April 13, 2025

WhatsApp users unable to send messages and connect to app amid online outage

A significant WhatsApp outage is affecting users in the UK and other countries, with a surge in complaints reported. Downdetector indicates that around 49% of users are unable to send messages, and 46% are experiencing issues with the app. The outage has escalated, with over 100 users in the UK reporting problems, up from six an hour earlier. Users from India and the United States have also reported disruptions, with over 3,000 complaints in India, primarily related to message-sending issues. Complaints have been voiced on social media from users in Canada, Brazil, and Singapore. Some users are also facing challenges with other Meta-owned platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This outage follows a previous incident earlier this year that affected at least 68,000 users.

AppWizard

April 12, 2025

Signal App reveals need for more secure channels

Mike Waltz, national security adviser under President Trump, accidentally included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in a confidential military chat on Signal that involved senior officials discussing imminent U.S. military strikes on Yemen. This incident raised concerns about the administration's secure communication practices, particularly as it involved sensitive military strategies. Despite Signal's encryption, critics argue that public group chats should not be used for classified discussions, highlighting vulnerabilities in communication protocols. Secure rooms are designed for classified discussions with strict protocols, which were not followed in this case.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp: Which Encrypted Messaging App Should You Choose

Telegram, a cloud-based messaging platform, stores necessary operational data, including metadata such as IP addresses. In 2024, Telegram updated its privacy policy to comply with law enforcement requests for user data with valid legal documentation, leading to the fulfillment of 900 requests from U.S. authorities affecting 2,253 individuals. The platform has experienced data breaches, including a 2020 incident exposing data from approximately 42 million Iranian users and a 2019 vulnerability that allowed Chinese agencies to identify protestors in Hong Kong. Telegram features public channels without end-to-end encryption and offers secret chats with end-to-end encryption, limited to the device of origin. Automatic message deletion is available with a minimum interval of one day. While the client applications are open-source, the server-side code is closed-source, requiring user trust in the company to protect data. Metadata collection continues despite end-to-end encryption. Telegram operates on a freemium model, with basic features available for free and a paid tier for additional functionalities. The app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store at no charge.

AppWizard

March 31, 2025

Signal vs. WhatsApp — what’s the difference between these messaging apps?

Signal and WhatsApp both offer end-to-end encryption but differ significantly in ownership and data practices. WhatsApp is owned by Meta, which collects metadata about user interactions, while Signal is a nonprofit that collects minimal metadata and prioritizes user privacy. WhatsApp has a more user-friendly interface with features like chat history backups, group video calls, and business tools, whereas Signal focuses on privacy with features like "Sealed Sender" to hide sender identity and options to blur faces in photos. Users prioritizing privacy may prefer Signal, but practicality depends on their contacts' app usage. Users can choose to use both apps for different types of communication.

AppWizard

March 27, 2025

Which is the most secure messaging app? Expert weighs in after U.S. war plan leak blunder

A significant intelligence breach occurred when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a sensitive Signal group chat that included discussions about U.S. military operations targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen, involving Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer described it as "one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence." Experts emphasized that the breach resulted from human error, not flaws in encryption technology. Signal is considered the gold standard for secure messaging due to its end-to-end encryption and lack of metadata collection. Other platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp have varying levels of security, with iMessage requiring both parties to use Apple devices for full protection, and WhatsApp collecting metadata. Telegram does not enable end-to-end encryption by default for standard messages. The incident highlights that even the most secure messaging applications cannot prevent breaches caused by human oversight.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

How Signal can leave the door open for spies and hackers

Signal is a preferred messaging platform for journalists, whistleblowers, and privacy advocates due to its security features, but it has vulnerabilities. Recently, Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, was accidentally added to a Signal group chat about military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen that included high-ranking officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance. This group chat lasted six days, during which the others were unaware of his presence. While Signal is known for its strong encryption, the incident highlighted that security measures cannot prevent human error. Military communications typically occur over secure systems like SIPRNet and JWICS, not general messaging apps like Signal.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

What is Signal?

A magazine journalist was unexpectedly included in a group chat of U.S. national security officials on the Signal messaging app, just hours before President Donald Trump authorized airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The National Security Council is investigating how the journalist's phone number was added to this secure communication channel. Signal is an application that supports direct messaging, group chats, and voice and video calls, employing end-to-end encryption. It allows for group chats of up to 1,000 participants and includes a feature for messages to self-destruct after a set period. Signal is considered secure but not immune to hacking, and it raises concerns about compliance with open records laws. Government officials are increasingly using encrypted messaging applications, with many having accounts linked to government-issued and personal cell phones. Signal was created by Moxie Marlinspike, who combined two open-source applications, and is overseen by the nonprofit Signal Foundation, which operates without advertisers or investors.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

What to know about Signal, the app used by Trump officials to text war plans

An encrypted messaging app named Signal has been used by high-ranking officials from the Trump administration, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance, to discuss a sensitive military operation. This conversation included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, who reported on the incident. The National Security Council confirmed the authenticity of the messages. Signal, which has around 70 million users, offers end-to-end encryption and is operated by the nonprofit Signal Foundation. Despite its security features, experts warn that it is not immune to hacking, as highlighted by a National Security Agency bulletin in February 2025 regarding vulnerabilities within the app. Government officials have used Signal for sensitive communications, but there are potential legal implications for sharing classified information on nonsecure platforms, which could violate the Espionage Act. Some messages in a group chat were set to disappear after one to four weeks, raising concerns about federal record preservation laws.