How Safe Is Signal Messaging App Used by Trump Aides to Share War Plans?

The Signal messaging app logo is seen on a smartphone, in front of the same displayed same logo, in this illustration taken, January 13, 2021. (Reuters)
The Signal messaging app logo is seen on a smartphone, in front of the same displayed same logo, in this illustration taken, January 13, 2021. (Reuters)
TT

How Safe Is Signal Messaging App Used by Trump Aides to Share War Plans?

The Signal messaging app logo is seen on a smartphone, in front of the same displayed same logo, in this illustration taken, January 13, 2021. (Reuters)
The Signal messaging app logo is seen on a smartphone, in front of the same displayed same logo, in this illustration taken, January 13, 2021. (Reuters)

Top Trump administration officials used messaging app Signal to share war plans and mistakenly included a journalist in the encrypted chat, spurring calls by Democratic lawmakers for a congressional investigation into the security breach.

Under US law, it can be a crime to mishandle, misuse or abuse classified information, though it is unclear whether those provisions might have been violated in this case.

Below are some of the main facts about Signal:

HOW SAFE IS IT?

Signal is an open-source and fully encrypted messaging service that runs on centralized servers maintained by Signal Messenger.

The only user data it stores on its servers are phone numbers, the date a user joined the service, and the last login information.

Users' contacts, chats and other communications are instead stored on the user's phone, with the possibility of setting the option to automatically delete conversations after a certain amount of time.

The company uses no ads or affiliate marketers, and doesn't track users' data, as stated on its website.

Signal also gives users the possibility to hide their phone number from others and use an additional safety number to verify the safety of their messages, it adds.

Signal does not use US government encryption or that of any other governments, and is not hosted on government servers.

The messaging app has a "stellar reputation and is widely used and trusted in the security community", said Rocky Cole, whose cybersecurity firm iVerify helps protect smartphone users from hackers.

"The risk of discussing highly sensitive national security information on Signal isn't so much that Signal itself is insecure," Cole added.

Actors who pose threats to nation states, he said, "have a demonstrated ability to remotely compromise the entire mobile phone itself. If the phone itself isn't secure, all the Signal messages on that device can be read."

HOW DOES SIGNAL WORK?

Signal is a secure messaging service that uses end-to-end encryption, meaning the service provider cannot access and read private conversations and calls from users on its app, therefore guaranteeing its users' privacy.

Signal's software is available across platforms, both on smartphones and computers, and enables messaging, voice and video calls. A telephone number is necessary to register and create an account.

Unlike other messaging apps, Signal does not track or store user data, and its code is publicly available, so security experts can verify how it works and ensure it remains safe.

Signal President Meredith Whittaker on Tuesday defended the app's security: "Signal is the gold standard in private comms."

She added in a post on X: "WhatsApp licenses Signal’s cryptography to protect message contents for consumer WhatsApp."

WHO FOUNDED SIGNAL?

Signal was founded in 2012 by entrepreneur Moxie Marlinspike and Whittaker, according to the company's website.

In February 2018, Marlinspike alongside WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton started the non-profit Signal Foundation, which currently oversees the app.

Acton provided an initial funding of $50 million. Acton left WhatsApp in 2017 due to differences around the use of customer data and targeted advertising.

Signal is not tied to any major tech companies and will never be acquired by one, it says on its website.

WHO USES SIGNAL?

Widely used by privacy advocates and political activists, Signal has gone from an exotic messaging app used by dissidents to a whisper network for journalists and media, to a messaging tool for government agencies and organizations.

Signal saw "unprecedented" growth in 2021 after a disputed change in rival WhatsApp's privacy terms, as privacy advocates jumped off WhatsApp on fears users would have to share their data with both Facebook and Instagram.

Reuters lists Signal as one of the tools tipsters can use to share confidential news tips with its journalists, while noting that "no system is 100 percent secure".

Signal's community forum, an unofficial group which states that its administration is composed of Signal employees, also lists the European Commission as a user of the tool. In 2017, the US Senate Sergeant at Arms approved the use of Signal for Senate staff.

"Although Signal is widely regarded as offering very secure communications for consumers due to its end-to-end encryption and because it collects very little user data, it is hard to believe it is suitable for exchanging messages related to national security," said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight - alluding to the breach involving top Trump aides discussing plans for military strikes on Yemeni Houthi militants.

Google's message services Google Messages and Google Allo, as well as Meta's Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, use the Signal Protocol, according to Signal's website.



How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Saudi Arabia’s Labor Market

A man walks past an AI screen at the LEAP 25 conference in Riyadh. (SPA)
A man walks past an AI screen at the LEAP 25 conference in Riyadh. (SPA)
TT

How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping Saudi Arabia’s Labor Market

A man walks past an AI screen at the LEAP 25 conference in Riyadh. (SPA)
A man walks past an AI screen at the LEAP 25 conference in Riyadh. (SPA)

Artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies are increasingly becoming the cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s future labor market as the Kingdom undergoes rapid digital transformation. While automation is boosting efficiency and productivity, it also underscores the urgent need to reskill the current workforce and prepare younger generations with future-ready skills. The widening gap between traditional education and evolving market demands calls for decisive action.

This shift does not signal the disappearance of jobs, but rather their redefinition. Routine tasks are giving way to roles requiring analytical thinking, digital fluency, and creativity. The very nature of employment is transforming from simply executing tasks to managing complex solutions.

AI is accelerating this evolution across key sectors including healthcare, manufacturing, and finance, where local case studies show how the technology is cutting costs and improving operational performance.

Yet, despite the opportunities AI presents for growth and job creation, significant challenges remain. Chief among them are high adoption costs, underdeveloped infrastructure, and a shortage of qualified professionals.

Addressing these issues will require coordinated efforts from the government, private sector, and educational institutions to ensure a balanced digital transformation, one that empowers human potential rather than marginalizing it.

Ali Al-Eid, a human resources expert, told Asharq Al-Awsat that digital transformation, future readiness, and awareness of key job skills are now central pillars of Saudi Arabia’s national development strategy.

While some fear AI may lead to mass job losses, Al-Eid said it will instead reshape existing roles. He expects routine jobs to fade, replaced by positions that demand analytical, digital, and advanced interpersonal skills.

Employment will increasingly prioritize flexibility and innovation over years of experience, he added.

AI is boosting automation, enabling big data analysis, and improving the speed and accuracy of decision-making, he noted. These changes are reducing waste and enhancing efficiency in sectors like healthcare, logistics, finance, and human resources, where faster decisions and improved outcomes are already evident.

He stressed the need for comprehensive strategies that foster innovation, encourage the adoption of new technologies, and ensure a fair transition for workers. This includes investing in reskilling programs and providing social safety nets.

According to Al-Eid, the success of future employment initiatives hinges on the private sector’s commitment to keeping pace with technological change.

Economic policy expert Ahmed Al-Shehri echoed these views, noting that AI is rapidly redrawing the contours of Saudi Arabia’s labor market, fueled by Vision 2030’s push to diversify the economy and drive innovation.

He said AI is automating routine tasks and improving work quality across public and private sectors. Based on global trends, he estimated that between 25 and 30 percent of existing jobs in the Kingdom could be affected by AI by 2030. At the same time, the technology will create new opportunities in high-tech fields and increase productivity by streamlining operations.

The oil sector is already seeing tangible benefits. Saudi Aramco, for example, uses AI for predictive maintenance, reducing costs and boosting operational efficiency by up to 20 percent. Al-Shehri added that many educational institutions and stakeholders are prioritizing future skill development to close the gap between conventional education and the needs of a high-tech economy.

He said current policies are capable of striking a balance between accelerating technological adoption and preserving existing jobs, thanks to incentives and public-private partnerships, such as those driving mega-projects like NEOM.

Tarek Mansour, senior partner at McKinsey, highlighted the findings of recent research by the Future Investment Initiative in collaboration with his firm. According to the study, automation and skill development are key drivers of productivity in the region.

It estimated that productivity could grow by 2.7 percent annually by 2030, driven by modern technologies like generative AI, which boosts human creativity in critical sectors such as healthcare and scientific research.

Mansour noted that the benefits of digital transformation extend beyond productivity gains. New jobs will be created, and talent shortages in specialized fields, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, could be eased.

Gulf countries already possess a strong talent pool and can launch large-scale skill-building programs, especially in strategic and technical sectors, to meet evolving labor market demands and improve youth employment prospects, he remarked.

Saudi Arabia, he added, has made impressive strides in embracing technology, with a clear focus on AI readiness and the development of digital infrastructure to keep pace with rapid technological change. A 2024 survey conducted for the study found that 56 percent of companies in the Middle East and North Africa are using AI, compared to 85 percent in the European Union and the United States.

However, Mansour pointed out that key barriers to adopting advanced technologies include implementation costs, infrastructure limitations, and a lack of skilled workers. In the Middle East, 52 percent of business leaders cited high costs as a major obstacle, while 45 percent pointed to infrastructure challenges.