/Tech2h ago

The Intercept lost control of its primary Signal tip line to an unauthorized actor who operated it for months

The outlet quietly replaced the compromised number with new usernames

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Original post

🚨 Months ago, The Intercept lost control of its Signal tip line to an unknown third party, which has been operating it actively.

The Intercept recently learned of the breach and posted the innocuous-sounding update below, chalking up a change in the Signal account username to "security best practices."

In reality, it's a devastating operational security collapse and The Intercept should publicly address it so that sources who may have been trying to leak to the outlet understand they may have been compromised.

Please share this post so potential sources become aware of the risk they may have been duped into. Details below:

The Intercept@theintercept

In keeping with security best practices, we have updated our Signal tip line. If you want to contact The Intercept, please get in touch with our reporters individually or use the Signal account Theintercept_tips.01. Please do not use the username TheIntercept.01.

12:18 PM · Jul 2, 2026 · 333.7K Views

Sentiment

Users expressed strong disapproval toward The Intercept losing control of its Signal tip line to a third party, calling it a disgraceful security failure and part of repeated major lapses showing untrustworthiness.

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10 comments with sentiment.

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Ryan Grim@ryangrim

As recently as a few hours ago, the third party was still advertising its access to the official Signal account, and communicating with potential sources. The account responded to me as recently as today. https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/intercept-signal-tip-line-breach-hack

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REPLIES6

Ryan Grim@ryangrim

After gaining control of The Intercept's Signal username, they set up an account claiming to be with The Intercept and would reply to posts from the White House, Jim Jordan, Chuck Schumer, etc, soliciting leaks.

If the would-be leaker checked The Intercept's official website, the would see that the same username was listed, so would have reason to trust it.

Recently, the username was taken off the website, but the account is still soliciting tips:

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Ryan Grim@ryangrim

Drop Site (which has no editorial relationship with or connection to The Intercept) asked The Intercept how it learned of the breach, how long it has been ongoing, and whether they have communicated about the breach to potential sources. Their comment did not address those questions.

The statement from The Intercept: "After learning about an effort to impersonate The Intercept on social media and claiming our Signal tips account, The Intercept set up a new Signal username. We directed people to use only this newly established Signal account. We broadly disseminated that message both on our website, on social media, and in our newsletter. We have taken action to try to get the social media account removed."

They added, "We have received no information that any source was compromised."

It's not obvious, of course, how they would know if one was. https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/intercept-signal-tip-line-breach-hack

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Ken Klippenstein@kenklippenstein

@ryangrim Insane

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Ryan Grim@ryangrim

@kenklippenstein Insane!

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🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Hamish 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿@Hamish_Realist

@ryangrim Reality Winner (real name) Blasts the Intercept After 4 Years in Jail

Do not take cyber-security advice from Journalists (like @richimedhurst ) or attorneys or people that encourage whistleblowers or ...

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/reality-winner-interview-prison-nsa-1261844/

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madmartigan@_badmartigan_

@ryangrim To be fair if you're trying to leak to The Intercept in 2026 you were probably gonna get caught anyway. You and @ggreenwald should both come clean about your time working there and everything you know about its history. I don't believe either of you have been honest about it.🫤

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Pete Oxenham@peteoxenham

@ryangrim the intercept has, themselves, been intercepted

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dobs@dobsec

@ryangrim @thegrugq This should be an alarm to reporters who have Signal tip lines: Migrate to Signal usernames. Protecting against SIM swaps is incredibly difficult.

This is why I advocate for services like @cloakedwireless and @CapeCellular for USA-based personnel. Secure comms > a few bucks.

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what Orwell said@whatOrwellsaid

@ryangrim I wondered how a secure platform like Signal could be compromised, the Drop Site piece explains dormant sites can be picked up.

But wouldn’t The Intercept be notified before its dormant name was repurposed?

That hapless organization should rename itself to The Intercepted. 🥀

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Wally Ballou! still isn’t voting for #Genocide@Jazz_Phan

@ryangrim @JohnStauber This should be a major scandal, especially after the Intercept’s Reality Winner debacle

https://www.writersvoice.net/2025/10/reality-winner-on-i-am-not-your-enemy-the-intercepts-betrayal-trumps-double-standard-and-the-egregious-espionage-act/

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trandrea dworkin, dangerous misandrist@madtranny

@ryangrim what the hell happened to them? i used to really respect the intercept but it seems like they've been going downhill for years now.

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#ForeverRowdy@ConanMcclanahan

@ryangrim @laurapoitras Is probably not thrilled about having to say "I told you so" for the 10th consecutive year

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🔻🔻🔻mirah 🔻🔻🔻@snackvampire

@ryangrim has the intercept addressed how they lost control of this username to begin with?

5h15231

🔻PPC_2🔻@Lifeline4G_2lfe

@ryangrim @signalapp @mer__edith since @theintercept refuses to provide answers, you need to step in and explain why what happened, happened. This is no joking matter.

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Smokin Jay's@Notjohngalt2

@ryangrim Shocker. The same outlet that was very obviously fed an irrelevant hit piece from intel officers on a UAP whistleblower was compromised 😐

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Mitch's Dead Hand 🖕@EvilDonJohnson

@ryangrim @davidsirota That anyone would still trust the intercept after significant "leakers" got exposed for sharing information with them, have not been paying attention.

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Duce99i@duce99i

@ryangrim Unbelievable.

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Little Australia@LitThom

@Hamish_Realist @ryangrim @richimedhurst Reality Winner outed herself. Stop this shit. I support her courageous action but just stop.

3h35

FT²@FreetheTruth17

@kenklippenstein @ryangrim You guys jumped ship at the right time

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