Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
Concerns Raised Over National Security Advisor’s Communication Practices
Reports have emerged concerning National Security Advisor Michael Waltz’s communication practices, raising cybersecurity questions. Following an incident last week where Waltz unintentionally included a journalist in a Signal chat about a planned military operation, a new report in The Washington Post details further instances of potentially insecure communication. The report alleges that Waltz discussed “delicate military locations and advanced weaponry systems relating to a current conflict” via his personal Gmail account.
Use of Personal Gmail for Official Communications
According to emails reviewed by the Post, Waltz and other members of the National Security Council reportedly utilized Gmail for “highly technical discussions with counterparts at other governmental bodies.” Email headers purportedly show that while Waltz used his personal Gmail, other participants in these exchanges employed their official government accounts. Sources within the government also informed the outlet that Waltz had “less critical but potentially vulnerable data sent to his Gmail,” including his schedule and “other official documents.”
Brian Hughes, a National Security Council representative, stated to the Post, “Waltz has not and would not send classified data on an unsecured account.” Hughes further asserted that he has “found no indication of Waltz using his personal email as reported.”
Broader Online Security Footprint
Further scrutiny of Waltz’s online presence has revealed additional potential security vulnerabilities. A report by Wired detailed how Waltz’s publicly accessible Venmo account exposed “the names of hundreds” of his contacts, encompassing journalists and military officers. Moreover, similar to numerous individuals, Waltz’s and other former administration officials’ personal online account details have been identified in publicly available data breaches. Spiegel International reported the discovery of “multiple passwords for Waltz’s email address” within these leaks.