Latest news with #House-managed
India Today
16 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
No WhatsApp on phones? After Iran, US govt now tells staff to delete WhatsApp due to security risk
The US House of Representatives has reportedly banned WhatsApp from all government-issued devices. As per reports, the reasons cited are concerns over data protection and cybersecurity. The decision was reportedly announced on Monday in a memo sent to all House staff, as first reported by Axios, and confirmed by Reuters. The Office of Cybersecurity, which operates under the House's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), said in the memo that WhatsApp poses a 'high risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, the absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use', according to Reuters. advertisementStaffers have reportedly been instructed to remove the app from all House-managed devices, including mobile phones, desktop computers, and web browsers. 'If you have a WhatsApp application on your House-managed device, you will be contacted to remove it,' the CAO said in the its place, the office has recommended more secure messaging platforms such as Signal, Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Apple's iMessage and FaceTime. Staff were reportedly also told to stay alert for phishing attempts and suspicious messages from unknown numbers. WhatsApp's parent company, Meta Platforms, strongly disagreed with the move. In a statement to Axios, company spokesperson Andy Stone said, 'We disagree with the House Chief Administrative Officer's characterisation in the strongest possible terms.'Stone defended the app's encryption features, adding, 'Messages on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted by default, meaning only the recipients – and not even WhatsApp – can see them. This is a higher level of security than most of the apps on the CAO's approved list that do not offer that protection.'advertisementMeta also expressed hope that members of the House would eventually be allowed to use WhatsApp in line with their Senate January this year, a WhatsApp official revealed that Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions had targeted a number of users on the platform, including journalists and members of civil society – further adding to concerns about the app's vulnerability to spyware this month, amid its ongoing conflict with Israel, Iran also urged its citizens to delete WhatsApp from their phones because many officials in the country shared suspicion that some sensitive data like location was being leaked via mobile apps, including WhatsApp. The platform is widely used in Iran for both personal and professional communication, making the warning particularly the state broadcast in Iran did not offer any direct evidence to support the claim, it quoted unnamed officials warning that the app might be 'gathering user information' and transmitting it to the Israeli military. This accusation was firmly denied by Meta.- Ends
MTV Lebanon
a day ago
- MTV Lebanon
23 Jun 2025 18:11 PM WhatsApp Banned on House Staffers' Devices
The U.S. House of Representatives has officially banned the use of WhatsApp on government-managed devices, citing serious cybersecurity concerns, Axios has learned. The decision, issued by the House's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), underscores growing concerns about data protection in congressional operations. The ban specifically targets the messaging app's lack of transparency in data protection practices, its failure to encrypt stored data, and the general security risks posed by its use. 'The Office of Cybersecurity has deemed WhatsApp a high-risk to users due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use,' the CAO wrote in an internal email obtained by Axios. Effective immediately, House staffers are prohibited from downloading, maintaining, or accessing WhatsApp on any House-managed device—including mobile phones, desktops, or even via web browsers. The email also indicated that staffers with the app already installed will be contacted for removal. This latest move is part of a broader effort by the CAO to regulate technology use within the House. In recent years, the office has imposed partial or full bans on several platforms, including DeepSeek, apps owned by ByteDance, and Microsoft Copilot. The use of AI tools has also come under scrutiny. While ChatGPT is not entirely banned, congressional offices are only permitted to use the paid version, ChatGPT Plus, under strict guidelines. For secure communication, the CAO recommended alternatives such as Microsoft Teams, Wickr, Signal, iMessage, and FaceTime. Additionally, the office warned staffers to remain alert to phishing attempts and unsolicited messages from unknown numbers.
