When Trump Phones Friends, the Chinese Listen and Learn

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/us/politics/trump-phone-security.html

By Matthew Rosenberg and Maggie Haberman
The New York Times
Oct. 24, 2018

WASHINGTON -- When President Trump calls old friends on one of his iPhones 
to gossip, gripe or solicit their latest take on how he is doing, American 
intelligence reports indicate that Chinese spies are often listening -- 
and putting to use invaluable insights into how to best work the president 
and affect administration policy, current and former American officials 
said.

Mr. Trump's aides have repeatedly warned him that his cellphone calls are 
not secure, and they have told him that Russian spies are routinely 
eavesdropping on the calls, as well. But aides say the voluble president, 
who has been pressured into using his secure White House landline more 
often these days, has still refused to give up his iPhones. White House 
officials say they can only hope he refrains from discussing classified 
information when he is on them.

Mr. Trump's use of his iPhones was detailed by several current and former 
officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity so they could discuss 
classified intelligence and sensitive security arrangements. The officials 
said they were doing so not to undermine Mr. Trump, but out of frustration 
with what they considered the president's casual approach to electronic 
security.

American spy agencies, the officials said, had learned that China and 
Russia were eavesdropping on the president's cellphone calls from human 
sources inside foreign governments and intercepting communications between 
foreign officials.

[...]



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