Government security leaders are still sharing sensitive information on WhatsApp
"Consumer applications were never designed to protect confidentiality or meet the demands of high-security environments."
Security chiefs across government and critical infrastructure in four advanced economies are using consumer messaging apps to share highly sensitive information, despite repeated intelligence agency warnings about the growing threat of compromise and espionage.
A new study from BlackBerry Secure Communications has found that 83% of security chiefs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore reported that WhatsApp is being used for internal discussions.
BlackBerry said its survey of 700 security decision-makers organisations reveals a "a widening gap between confidence in communications security and the reality of risk exposure" that has "significant national security implications".
While 55% of respondents said sovereign control of data is a priority, almost all (98%) reported relying on foreign-hosted platforms not designed for high-security or confidential use.
More than half (52%) also expressed concern that telecom networks could be monitored or disrupted - a risk that has already been clearly demonstrated in practice.
Recent espionage campaigns attributed to China-linked groups, including Salt Typhoon and UNC3886, have targeted network operators and critical infrastructure, highlighting the vulnerability of the systems that underpin everyday communications.
Five Eyes under attack
Intelligence agencies across Five Eyes nations recently issued advisories about state-backed attacks, highlighting how the threat surface is shifting from networks to consumer platforms embedded in daily operations.
British and European intelligence agencies warned that Russia's digital espionage agents are attempting to spy on prominent government figures and other "high-risk" individuals through their messaging apps.
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, warned that it has observed "growing malicious activity from Russia-based actors", reporting that adversaries are trying to crack into targets' WhatsApp, Messenger and Signal accounts.
There is no suggestion that Moscow has backdoored or compromised these services during its clandestine cyberwar operations. The NCSC said its internet spies were using traditional techniques familiar from cybercrime to gain access to accounts, including:
- Tricking people into sharing login or account recovery codes.
- Adding a malicious device to your account.
- Quietly joining group chats.
- Impersonating someone you know.
- Phishing with malicious links or QR codes.
READ MORE: US ban on Chinese routers leaves “millions” of insecure devices in American homes
The agency has previously warned about the targeting of government officials by China's state-affiliated APT31, Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) actor Star Blizzard, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Similar concerns have been echoed by US agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which warned that state-linked actors tied to adversary nations, including Russia, have already compromised thousands of app accounts.
European intelligence services have also published parallel alerts, pointing to coordinated campaigns targeting officials and reporters across multiple countries, underlining the scale and persistence of the threat.
Consumers apps vs nation-state threats
According to Blackberry's research, 88% of respondents said they trust their current messaging tools, despite significant gaps in understanding how those systems actually work.
More than half (52%) incorrectly believe encryption protects metadata such as location and communication patterns, while 47% think it prevents impersonation or spoofing attacks. A further 41% assume communications remain secure even if a device has been compromised.
READ MORE: Nation-state actors now behind majority of serious UK incidents, NCSC security chief warns
The disconnect becomes more pronounced during incidents. While 90% of respondents said they were confident in their ability to manage a major cyber event, fewer than half (49%) reported having a unified platform for coordinating a response.
Instead, many rely on a mix of consumer tools - including group chats (54%), email (51%), spreadsheets (29%) and phone trees (19%) - that were not designed for secure, real-time crisis coordination.
Follow this link to read The State of Secure Communications 2026 .
