FBI Director Kash Patel announced that Russian intelligence-linked hackers are targeting U.S. officials, military personnel, political figures, and journalists on the Signal messaging app.

"The [FBI] has identified cyber actors associated with Russian Intelligence Services targeting users of commercial messaging applications, including Signal," Patel said. "The campaign targets individuals of high intelligence value, including current and former U.S. government officials, military personnel, political figures, and journalists."

"Globally, this effort has resulted in unauthorized access to thousands of individual accounts," Patel said.

Russian hackers are infiltrating people's Signal accounts by sending messages masquerading as automated support accounts that deceive targets into clicking links or providing verification codes or account PINs. A full account takeover is possible if users perform the requested actions, according to the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

After gaining access to a Signal account, Russian actors can view messages and contact lists, send messages as the victim, and conduct phishing attacks from the victim's account. The FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency stated that "Actors specifically target Signal accounts but can apply similar methods against other commercial messaging apps."

Several top Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, used the Signal app last year to discuss military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen in a group chat that was accidentally shared with a journalist.