Senior US officials’ private data, passwords exposed in online leaks: Report

The personal data and passwords of senior US security officials have been exposed in online leaks, German magazine Der Spiegel reported Thursday.

Among those affected are National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to the report.

Using commercial search engines and hacked customer data published on the internet, Der Spiegel journalists reportedly found mobile phone numbers, email addresses, and some passwords linked to these officials.

Der Spiegel said most of these numbers and email addresses are still in use, with some linked to social media profiles or apps that track users' locations.

The phone numbers of Waltz and Gabbard were reportedly linked to WhatsApp and Signal, exposing them to potential spyware installation.

Hegseth's phone number and email address were "particularly easy" to obtain, says Der Spiegel, and it was reported that the same email was used just a few days ago.

ON THE HEELS OF THE CONTROVERSIAL SIGNAL GROUP CHAT

The revelations follow a separate report by American magazine The Atlantic, in which Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg said he was mistakenly added to a Signal group chat where high-level officials discussed US airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

According to Goldberg, the group included Waltz, Gabbard, Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, senior presidential aide Stephen Miller and others.

On the morning of the March 15 strikes, Goldberg said the chat contained operational details — including intended targets and the types of weapons to be used — and later featured congratulatory messages and emojis as the strikes were carried out.

Congratulatory messages among the senior officials began to appear as the strikes unfolded, confirming his suspicions that the thread was genuine. He left the chat the following day.

Trump later said that Waltz would "probably" stop using Signal, to which the national security adviser responded: "I agree with you. Let's get everybody in the room, whenever, whenever possible."

Officials deny that classified material was shared in the group chat. However, opposition lawmakers and some Republicans have voiced concern over the apparent breach in operational security.

Handling national defense information outside secure, authorized channels is a criminal offense under US law.