Defense Secretary Hegseth Used Unsecured Internet for Signal App

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly set up an unsecured, so-called 'dirty' internet line in his Pentagon office to access the encrypted Signal messaging app on a personal computer, bypassing standard Department of Defense cybersecurity protocols. This setup, confirmed by multiple sources, appears to have circumvented personal phone bans and strict network monitoring intended to protect sensitive defense information. The primary advantage of such a line is that it masks the user from being identified as a Pentagon IP address, but it also exposes users to increased risks of hacking, surveillance, and may lack required recordkeeping for federal compliance. The revelations have triggered serious concerns from national security and cybersecurity experts about the potential for foreign surveillance or data leaks at the highest levels of the Defense Department. Additionally, Hegseth is under scrutiny for sharing sensitive military details in Signal group chats, some of which included top officials as well as personal contacts. The Pentagon has not publicly commented beyond stating that Hegseth's communication methods are classified and denying he used Signal on a government computer.