Several top Trump administration officials, including those in a Signal group chat, had leaked Venmo accounts, posing a counterintelligence risk.
The exposed officials include Dan Katz, Joe Kent, Mike Needham, and Brian McCormack, with detailed transactions and connections public.
Sensitive information like payment details, contacts, and activities were revealed through Venmo accounts, prompting concerns about foreign intelligence exploitation.
WIRED confirmed the officials' identities based on their linked accounts, and reactions from their respective departments are awaited.
Veterans of the US intelligence community warn of the risks posed by public Venmo transactions, citing potential leverage and risks to personal safety.
Security experts emphasize the importance of understanding data exposure risks and the potential exploitation by adversaries.
Venmo's contact syncing feature in the past facilitated the exposure of connections, making networks visible unless settings were actively changed.
Although Venmo deprecated this functionality, users' networks could remain visible unless privacy settings were adjusted.
Experts stress the need for vigilance at high levels of national security leadership to minimize risks associated with digital data exposure.
Adversaries' interest in even minor data points underscores the importance of safeguarding personal information in the digital age.