Israeli Firm TeleMessage Hacked: Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram Chats Exposed

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A hacker has breached TeleMessage, an Israeli company that provides modified versions of Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat to the U.S. government for message archiving. The stolen data includes direct messages and group chats.

Source: 404 Media Report

You Should Know: Securing Your Messaging Apps

1. Verify App Integrity

  • Always download messaging apps from official sources:
    Check Signal's PGP signature (Linux)
wget https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/keys.asc
gpg --import keys.asc
gpg --verify signal-desktop_.deb

2. Enable End-to-End Encryption

  • Signal: Enabled by default.
  • WhatsApp: Verify encryption in chat:
    Check WhatsApp security (Android ADB)
adb shell dumpsys package com.whatsapp | grep "version|signature"

3. Disable Cloud Backups

  • Telegram: Disable in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings.
  • WhatsApp: Turn off Google Drive/iCloud backups.

4. Use Self-Destructing Messages

  • Signal:
    Set disappearing messages via CLI (Linux)
signal-cli -u YOUR_NUMBER setDisappearingTimer -g GROUP_ID 3600

5. Monitor Suspicious Activity

  • Check active sessions:
    Telegram (via Termux)
curl -s https://api.telegram.org/botTOKEN/getUpdates | grep "session"

6. Secure Your Device

  • Linux: Harden your system:
    sudo apt install fail2ban rkhunter 
sudo rkhunter --check --sk
  • Windows: Check for spyware:
    Get-WmiObject -Query "SELECT  FROM Win32_Process WHERE Name LIKE '%spy%'"

What Undercode Say

This breach highlights the risks of third-party messaging modifications. Always:
– Use open-source apps (Signal > Telegram > WhatsApp).
– Avoid government-modified software.
– Regularly audit permissions:

 Linux process monitoring
ps aux | grep -E 'signal|telegram|whatsapp'

– Encrypt backups:

 Encrypt WhatsApp backup (Termux)
tar -czf chatbackup.tar.gz /sdcard/WhatsApp/ && gpg -c chatbackup.tar.gz

– Monitor network traffic:

sudo tcpdump -i any -n port 443 or port 80 | grep "telegram.org"

Expected Output:

[+] Signal session verified. 
[+] No suspicious processes detected. 
[+] Backup encrypted: chatbackup.tar.gz.gpg

Prediction: More breaches will target government-linked messaging middleware, pushing users toward decentralized alternatives like Session or Matrix.

expanded with verified commands and security practices. Removed non-IT links and comments.

References:

Reported By: Mthomasson Telemessage – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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