65 Comments
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Ed Kapuscinski's avatar

But her emails!!!!

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Tasman's avatar

Just like everything else, bullshit, lies, and honoring some Faustian deal, spewing from politically paid pundits and politicians like explosive diarrhea, is now 24 hours and everywhere these (final?) days.

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Bob Stromberg's avatar

I don't understand. The Atlantic article stands on its own. Carefully written, exposing, step by step, Jeffrey Goldberg's initial confusion, and wondering if the invite and the texts were real, just as a professional would.

Why not read the article *first* before starting off? I'm on minute 3 and the only info I have is that Signal is used too much in the Army and that messages about ops are sent to service members even in their off time.

This scandal was a real problem. A breach of national security at the highest level of the current administration.

I expect more from Ryan than just making us spend time listening to him natter on about inconsequential matters. His entire speech is over an hour long.

Ryan's talk starts out with "low-value" info. We're busy! Please use a BLUF approach.

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Bob Stromberg's avatar

Thanks! As usual there are layers of complexity with these news items. From the Army Times article:

"there is no operational discussions via the apps and an extra layer of security is provided because users must go through virtual private networks.

However, there are government transparency concerns with the use of encrypted messaging apps like Signal and Wickr, which feature auto-delete functions where messages are erased after a set period of time. Electronic communications and text messages sent as part of official government business are part of the public record, and should be accessible via a Freedom of Information Act request."

With all the hype about Signal I haven't seen a serious comparison of Signal and Wickr (and Threema).

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Claymore's avatar

Wickr legitimately was created and funded by the CIA through a propiatary shell called In-Q-Tel. They have contracts with the DoJ and DoD with FedRAMP high authorization.

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Nick Raphael's avatar

Was putting the editor in chief of the Atlantic approved by the DOD? Was using nongovernmental communication devices approved for sending/receiving classified information? Was using SIGNAL while in Russia approved by the DOD? 🤦🏻‍♂️🫡

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Claymore's avatar

Signal is so effective as a clandestine encrypted communication it is banned by Russia and Venezuela. I’m not sure you realize that Signal was funded by the US government( the CIA to be exact through NED and OTF) for this very reason. It allows our covert insurrectionist in other countries to communicate with impunity so we can have color revolutions that flavor our interests. It’s a clandestine communication that even our leaders use to circumvent official record (FOIA, congressional subpoenas, etc)

https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/9/24217008/signal-blocked-venezuela-russia

And yes. It is a defacto official app the CIA installed on their directors computer.

https://x.com/PapiTrumpo/status/1904586095733465291

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Claymore's avatar

Why was a hostile left wing editor from a hostile left wing media outlet added a gossipy "unsecure" chat in the first place? I'll tell you why. It was scripted to set the narrative and get their point across to Europe. If a SecDef doesn't care, then he's DoD approved. 😉 This is why. 👇

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/europe/signal-jeffrey-goldberg-message-hegseth.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c204vl27n2qo

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jeffrey d schwenneker's avatar

On government phones.they used personal devices

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Claymore's avatar

Well, here is CISA endorsing Signal App on personal devices for “'highly targeted' individuals who are in senior government or senior political positions and likely to possess information of interest to these threat actors." (12/18/2024)

https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/guidance-mobile-communications-best-practices.pdf

-Me, CISSP, CySA+, Sec+, Net+. A+

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jeffrey d schwenneker's avatar

And what does it say a about marked (x) product use?

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Michael Nistler's avatar

But after downing several shots of "truth serum" it's Ryan's opportunity to demonstrate verisimilitude before our very eyes!

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Erik S's avatar

What happens when you put alcoholics in charge of stuff they SHOULD NOT be in charge of…. PERIOD.

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Kelly Keenan's avatar

When you hire clowns expect a circus. Apparently the CIA director included the name of deep undercover CIA agent. That has to be reassuring to the any undercover federal operative whether CIA, FBI, Treasury, etc. The little car the clowns pile out of in the circus will need to be a motor home to fit them all with this administration.

So how long before they determine this is actually Biden's fault?

...and now it is revealed that an email warning went out a week before the event to all Pentagon employees prohibiting the use of Signal for government business by anyone in the department because of "security risks and vulnerabilities identified" in the Signal app. One of the calls partcipants was in Moscow, but you I am certain Trump's buddy Putin would not be aware of the vulnerability and even if he was the FBS would never be so ungentlemanly as to use it.

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David Lampe's avatar

Hillary the “missing laptop “ the email server and Republican rage.

Where’s the raging Republicans and the committee to investigate wrong doing now?

Morons up and down the chain of command!

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Mike's avatar

Nothing compared to the Biden administration in Afghanistan at their bitter end. Ask Milley.

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Michael Snyder's avatar

Mike, do some research, Trump said in 2017 he knew more than his generals about winning the war in Afghanistan and then in 2020 went behind the pro-American government in Kabul to NEGOTIATE an American withdrawal with the Taliban (you remember the Taliban, the guys we attacked in 2002 for allowing al Queda to operate from camps under their control). He then forced that same government to release 5,000 Taliban cadre, enough to lead at least 50,000 more Taliban fighters. He set the conditions for failure in Afghanistan and then deliberately left Biden holding the bag when he came to office. The same Trump that Hegseth the brown-nose needs to start with when firing people who were responsible for the failure in Afghanistan

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David Wemett's avatar

The suicide bomber at Abbey Gate in Afghanistan was one of the prisoners released in the agreement Trump made with the Taliban & that never seems to get mentioned.

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Rockjaw's avatar

Ahh, maybe consider the source?

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David Wemett's avatar

Obvious why they didn't go to a SCIF, not only is Signal not subject to official records keeping regulations, mostly - they're just too lazy to bother. Laziness, and knowing there's no accountability. If I'd done something like this when I was in the Army, I'd still be a guest in Leavenworth today.

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Michael Snyder's avatar

Where's the chants of "Lock Him Up". Technically this is much worse than Hilary Clinton using a private server for unclassified government e-mails. OPLANs should NEVER be discussed outside SIPRNET VTCs.

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Dan's avatar

The issue seems obvious: These guys wanted a way to talk where Trump couldn't hear. They are starting to sense a problem.

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Mike's avatar

Are you insinuating the same folks who thought Biden/Harris were competent?

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Michael Snyder's avatar

Again, do some research, all you are posting are snarky comments. Point out actual events. For instance, the use of military action against the Houthis when the center of gravity is Iran, a mistake made by both Biden and Trump. Or Trump completely destroying the alliances Biden rebuilt after Trump had destroyed them the first time, within NATO. Then there's the US, UK, Australia and Japan alliance that Biden built to contain China and which included Australia buying US built nuclear powered attack subs which Trump broke. And the US aid to Ukraine which Trump has screwed up. At least Biden doesn't get played by Putin like Trump, who has been spouting Russian talking points since before the election.

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Rockjaw's avatar

Ahh… just another “early edition” schadenfreude episode from the tangerine man’s “gang that couldn’t shoot straight” remake, lol… look for the interweb, assorted comedians and SNL to have a blast the latest of what will no doubt be a 4 year “good governance” parody, showcasing the incompetence and ineptitude of a whole cast of Dunning-Kruger effect candidates…

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Jeffrey G's avatar

Where are the chants of "Lock them up"? The primary reason for doing this to avoid accountability which as we observe tie and again is Team trump's MO. This is a perfect excuse to clean out some of the riff raff in the cabinet.

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DALE ROBERTS's avatar

Yes, SIGNAL can be compromised by a screenshot of a users device. However, that means the device must be compromised with an implant a priori. The fundamental issue with this event AND the massive over-publicizing is that now every ne'er-do-well knows SIGNAL is secure. THAT is a problem, compounded by more and more discussion. It was a mistake in group management, own it and shut-up!

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Dima Pasechnik's avatar

Signal is open-source - however, the process by which the app is released is not. There is a clone of Signal, called molly, which is said to be fully open-source. That's to say, good guys might look at the source code, find a bug, and tell Signal people to fix it. Bad guys will find a bug and use it to get at you or other users.

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Bob Stromberg's avatar

Or by someone getting ahold of a user's device and breaking into it. Or by someone on your Signal chat not being quite as up-and-up as you think they are.

Signal is only as secure as the weakest (sloppiest) user on a chat.

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Claymore's avatar

The vulnerability is at the device and the user. The encryption and everything in between is solid. The only metadata that can be provided with a warrant is the date and time the user signed up and the date and time the user last used....in unix time lol

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Captain Crunch's avatar

kakistocracy, noun: government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state

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Claymore's avatar

Signal was funded by the CIA (through the OTF and NED) for clandestine activity to help insurrections communicate. It's Ironclad end to end encrypted communications that are impervious to warrants and court orders.

https://propertyofthepeople.org/document-detail?doc-id=21114562&download=https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/21114562/jan-2021-fbi-infographic-re-lawful-access-to-secure-messaging-apps-data.pdf

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Dima Pasechnik's avatar

Any communication is insecure if your endpoint is compromised. Using your consumer level device to handle sensitive information is only good as long as your device is not bugged, and governments compromise devices of suspected criminals, and political opponents, now and then (there is a whole industry for this out there).

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Claymore's avatar

The whole point was the E2E part. The vulnerability is the device and user. Everything in between (3rd party) is ironclad. Encryption at the device itself from a legal standpoint (which is Signals strength) is subject only to compelled decryption. Passwords, passphrases, pins, patterns, to decrypt are something you know (testamonial-likely 5th amendment protected). Biometrics are something you are and fingerprints, iris, face are likely subject to 4th amendment warrant to seizure.

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Clark Venable's avatar

Confirms what I thought was the case with Apple Messages—secure only if iCloud Backup off.

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Claymore's avatar

Only contents of the message are legally secure if iCloud backup off. Much of the Metadata is not and that can be the most damaging.

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James Watson's avatar

Ryan, you make comments regarding such things as changing formation times (as an example) as being difficult? In my 22 years it was NEVER difficult. Before and after cellphones the phone alert system work just fine. Cells were used to contact because they were simply the extension to landlines and service members understood they were not secure.

Today it seems the current Admin would rather blame or dismiss their own hypocritic actions than be held accountable. There is doing what is right, and then there are things like these administrations that do not hold themselves to account.

The shit show that is happening right now stems from pure lawlessness on the part of the orange clowns cabinet members and the grand monkey himself.

These hypocrites attacked the moron democrats for the exact same thing, but in the case of the Repubicans, it is not a big deal according to hegseth and gabbard. This shows the wholly unqualified people in charge of our military and other secure operations that as it turns out are not secure and more like a frat party on an un-secure app.

Signal is NOT secure, and should not be used for things like this. This little gang needs to be fired and punished.

It is that simple. trump flat lied on tv when asked about it and even more damning is trump saying he knew nothing about it, pure deriliction. hegseth lied, gabbard lied.There is no accountability in this administration, just excuses.

I would bet hegseth had a nice aged beverage sitting at his desk while he broke the law, my opinion of course since he is an alcoholic that as I understand it has NOT gone through any courses.

Complimentary rant...

This current administration, like the last one, was and is a danger to our Democracy, and moronic politicians on both sides are supporting these actions instead of dealing with the culprits.

We have a lot of Americans that should not be allowed to vote as the last four administrations including this one are a shit show and proof many Americans are simply too stupid and uninformed to vote for our countries leaders.

FFS, the U.S. elections are just a repeat of the The price is right TV show that includes all the stupid, insane people yelling and screaming playing games, and we constantly have to guess if something good is behind a certain door.

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Siamak Sobhany's avatar

They are downplaying it for obvious reasons. I hope they don't actually believe it's no big deal.

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Mike's avatar

Imagine, if you will.....this was a trial and a example of disinformation to discover what and how the enemies will react. Enemy in this operation: hostile reporter for a hostile news dissemination device. Time will tell. On a positive note: this was PLANNING....not a real time, real action in motion display of tactics. Just what Geraldo Rivera did on CNN during Desert Storm. Time will tell all.

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Claymore's avatar

They "leaked" a gossipy secret group text to a hostile journalist talking smack about freeloading Europe. That was no mistake. Someone wanted to get their point across about some truths so it will backfire into a nothing burger.

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Dima Pasechnik's avatar

Do you continue to insist that inclusion of a journalist in a highly sensitive chat was deliberate? This inclusion is a criminal offence, you know. Of course the criminal POTUS pardons his fellow criminals left and right, but still...

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Claymore's avatar

Some of the people making comment in the chat are OCAs and have the ability declassify their own agency imposed classification on the spot. Nothing burger.

https://www.archives.gov/isoo/policy-documents/cnsi-eo.html#six

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Dima Pasechnik's avatar

By the same faulty logic, an official having ability to declassify things won't commit treason, ever. But surely treason cannot go unpunished even for officials with such an ability.

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Dima Pasechnik's avatar

I don't think that leaking the name of an active CIA officer can go unpunished. It's basically a murder attempt.

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Claymore's avatar

Are you even a US Citizen?

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Dima Pasechnik's avatar

How is it important? I am a citizen of a NATO country.

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