- Hacker claims they broke into messaging service TeleMessage
- TeleMessage is a clone of Signal, a popular privacy-oriented chat app used by the likes of JD Vance
- Hacker stole some files from the platform, but no US government data was taken
TeleMessage, an instant communications app used by some US Government officials, has reportedly been hacked, with private messages stolen.
A report from 404 Media says a hacker broke into, and stole messages found on the platform, which were then shared with the publication, allowing it to confirm the authenticity of at least some parts of the stolen archives.
In May 2025, TeleMessage gained media attention after it was revealed that Mike Waltz, former US National Security Advisor, was using an unofficial version of Signal called “TM SGNL,” created by TeleMessage.
Waltz dismissed
TeleMessage is a modified version of the Signal app, developed by an Israeli company. Reuters describes the firm as “obscure”.
The app is built as both an enterprise messaging and archiving platform for SMS, MMS, voice calls, and messages from apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, and Signal. The archiving is for regulatory compliance and eDiscovery purposes.
Now, after the hack everyone is asking the same question – did the hacker steal US government communications? The answer is apparently, no.
404Media says the hacker did not steal any messages from Waltz or anyone else in the Trump administration. We also don’t know how the hacker accessed the information, if any zero-day vulnerability was abused, or if any malware was deployed in the process.
So far, all parties, including TeleMessage, and the US Government, have not commented on the news. A Signal spokesperson told Reuters that the company “cannot guarantee the privacy or security properties of unofficial versions of Signal.”
Mike Waltz was dismissed from his role as US National Security Advisor on May 1, 2025, following a significant security incident in which he inadvertently added journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat where senior officials were discussing classified military plans for a strike against Houthi militants in Yemen.
