In an extraordinary breach, a journalist was mistakenly included in a Signal group chat where top Trump officials coordinated upcoming military strikes on Yemen. Using Signal—a public messaging app—rather than burdensome government-secured systems suggests a deliberate choice to avoid painful legacy systems; unless something has changed, I do not think the app is approved for classified communications. While waivers can be applied case-by-case, talking around a subject does not necessarily mean it’s unclassified. This is going to have good blowback, and rightfully so.

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Full Summary:

In this episode of Geek News Central, host Todd Cochrane discusses a significant breach where a journalist was mistakenly included in a Signal group chat used by top Trump officials to coordinate military strikes on Yemen. He underscores the problematic use of a public messaging app for such sensitive discussions, suggesting that it reflects a choice to avoid antiquated government systems. Todd expresses skepticism about the app’s approval for classified communications and warns of potential ramifications for those involved.

As the episode progresses, Todd shares his disbelief over the incident, linking it to his experiences in government service, where secure communications are crucial. He illustrates the challenges when communicating securely and the potential consequences of unauthorized access to classified conversations. He recounts a personal anecdote about a friend who joined a classified chat channel he was not supposed to be in and its serious implications.

Following this lead story, Todd transitions into the main content of the episode, welcoming listeners to episode 1809. He provides a shoutout to the podcast’s sponsor, GoDaddy, and encourages listeners to support the show by visiting the provided links. He shares updates about his recent move to a new apartment and mentions some maintenance issues he has dealt with, leading into the rest of the planned segment.

Todd then shifts gears and dives into various news stories, covering topics such as 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing, a safety recall of espresso machines, and technology updates from Apple and Microsoft. He discusses Meta’s new initiative to potentially charge for an ad-free experience on Facebook and Instagram in the UK and highlights a class action lawsuit regarding HP printers.

He also discusses the latest developments in space exploration, including NASA’s release of images related to gravity waves and SpaceX’s secret launches for the National Reconnaissance Office. Todd also touches on consumer electronics changes with companies like Samsung and Rivian, updates on the expected features of the next iPhone, and ongoing issues regarding Google’s data handling.

Throughout the episode, Todd interacts with listeners, encouraging engagement through various platforms and promoting membership options for further support. He wraps up the show by thanking his supporters and reminding listeners how to reach him, reinforcing community involvement and interaction. As the episode concludes, Todd encourages listeners to stay tuned for future tech insights, signing off with a reminder to return for the next episode.

• IBM
• Government transparency 
• 16:31–DJI Magic Pro
• 17:34–HP printer class action lawsuit 
• 18:23–Ad-free Facebook and Instagram in the UK 
• 19:09–NASA reveals images 
• 20:09–Microsoft announces AI agents 
• 20:53–iOS 19
• AirPods with cameras 
• 21:28–Samsung promises to repair soundbars
• 13:44–Coffee machines being recalled 
• 22:16–HP is making more PCs 
• 24:30–US government IT contracts
• 26:04–Rivian
• 26:54–Phillips Hue
• 27:15–Google TV 
• 28:04–SpaceX launches a top-secret mission 
• 14:54–Apple Watch
• 28:43–Moto Razr Plus
• 29:21–New iPhone 17 report
• 29:38–Google Maps
• 30:49–Gmail adding Gemini 
• –Tesla is still taking deposits on Roadster 
• 31:57–T-Mobile
• 33:11–Oracle denies data breach 
• 34:19–Amazon warns customers
• 36:03–The March 29th eclipse 
• 37:02–Samsung’s new fridges 
• 38:40–The Internet Archive 
• AT&T making changes 
• 12:13–23andMe

The post Extraordinary Signal Chat Breach Tops Trump Officials #1809 appeared first on Geek News Central.