Waltz used his personal Gmail to share sensitive military data: Is your Gmail account a secure method of communication?

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, who was responsible for adding The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief to a highly sensitive Signal group chat with other leading Trump administration officials, now stands accused of using his personal Gmail account to conduct government business.

The latest reports come courtesy of The Washington Post, which claims that Waltz has been using his personal Gmail account, potentially increasing pressure on the president to relieve him of his duties. The Washington Post reported, citing conversations with a staffer in Waltz’s office, that the National Security Advisor has had scheduling appointments sent to his personal email and that “technical conversations” also took place using that medium. These new reports provide no relief for Waltz, who continues to face mounting criticism from Democratic and Republican leaders alike.

Democrats have been quick to call out the hypocrisy, considering that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was criticized for her use of a personal email server during her time in the Obama administration. The GOP doesn’t seem to care about any inconsistency in their attacks on Secretary Clinton, and the White House has continued to defend Waltz against calls for him to resign or be fired by President Trump.

Legally, when government officials conduct business related to their role, they are required to keep their communications on federal servers so that they can be preserved and protected against cyberattacks that could lead to sensitive information falling into the hands of hostile actors.

What does this mean about the security of your Gmail?

The news that Waltz should not be using Gmail because of the security risks may lead to concerns among the public about the safety of their personal information. If they use the platform, they should not lose too much sleep.

The type of information that Waltz has access to is of great value to foreign adversaries, and thus, his phone or computer could be bugged or attacked. Though no one’s Gmail account is ever 100 percent safe from bad actors, most people are not subject to the same sophisticated attacks that could be aimed at Waltz or other administration officials.

Before clicking any links in your email, especially if the sender is unfamiliar or appears suspicious, it is crucial to proceed with caution. In the United States, email users receive over 100 billion phishing emails, with hackers attempting to steal personal information by enticing unsuspecting victims into clicking links that allow hackers to infiltrate their accounts and capture sensitive data.

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