Security News > 2020 > January > Sen. Wyden Asks NSA About Trump Administration Device Security

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has called on the National Security Agency to take steps to make sure the personal devices of high-ranking Trump administration officials are secure following a report last week that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' smartphone had been compromised.

Wyden wrote to NSA Director Paul M. Nakasone on Friday, asking if the agency was sure that the Saudi government had not used the crown prince's WhatsApp account to hack the devices of senior government officials, such as White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, who have reportedly had contact with Bin Salman on the Facebook-owned messaging app.

"So today, I am writing to the National Security Agency and asking them to evaluate the security risks of Jared Kushner, and other White House officials who may have messaged , particularly on their personal devices. If the Saudi government had access to Jared Kushner's phone, it'd be practically like putting a bug in the Oval Office."

Wyden asked the NSA whether it believes the White House is capable of defending against a hacking attempt that targeted either President Donald Trump and the members of his staff.

In the letter to the Amazon CEO, Wyden pointed to a March 2019 opinion piece by Bezos security consultant Gavin de Becker, alleging that the Saudi government had hacked his client's smartphone.

News URL

https://www.inforisktoday.com/sen-wyden-asks-nsa-about-trump-administration-device-security-a-13651