The U.S. government has officially banned WhatsApp from devices used by staff members of the House of Representatives, citing security concerns. According to a memo obtained by Reuters, the Office of Cybersecurity classified WhatsApp as a "high risk" due to a lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and other potential security vulnerabilities.
Instead, the memo recommends using more secure alternatives such as Signal, iMessage, FaceTime, and Microsoft Teams.
The decision follows an incident in January, when Meta revealed that it had detected and disrupted a hacking campaign targeting around 90 WhatsApp users, including journalists. The attack was linked to Paragon Solutions, an Israeli spyware company acquired in December 2024 by U.S.-based private equity firm AE Industrial Partners.
A May research report suggested that governments of Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore are likely customers of Paragon.
Meta has not responded to requests for comment regarding the ban.
