By 2025, WhatsApp had become so deeply embedded in Israeli daily life that it turned into a national security risk. The app now permeates the routine of the IDF, where massive groups routinely share duty rosters, operation schedules, unit deployments, rotation dates, and sensitive tactical details.
Many groups include hundreds of members who finished reserve duty long ago but still receive confidential information. Some groups mix soldiers, civilians, volunteers, suppliers — and potentially enemy agents.
Cyber risks are growing: attackers increasingly manage to take over WhatsApp accounts. Experts warn that adversaries do not seek strategic secrets but rather small tactical details that can be stitched together into a coherent intelligence picture. Hamas used such open-source data before the Nahal Oz attack.
Despite this, the IDF has no way to monitor all the groups. Claims that classified information never passes through WhatsApp are unrealistic. Soldiers often do not understand what constitutes sensitive information, and the app’s convenience encourages constant oversharing.
The IDF has begun tightening security — banning Chinese-made cars from bases, deploying the Morpheus AI system to monitor soldiers’ public accounts, and preparing to prohibit Android devices for officers. Yet specialists argue that only cultural change and enforceable procedures can solve the problem.
The IDF Spokesperson said the army conducts ongoing risk management and reminds soldiers of their responsibility to safeguard information. Still, evidence shows WhatsApp remains a largely uncontrolled channel of leaks that Israel’s enemies can easily exploit.
source: jpost.com