Scandal: Operation commands passed through Whattsup

The free whatsapp messaging application installed on almost any smart phone, has already become a friendly tool to the gossip groups and working groups, and family.

What is surprising is that during the 'pillar of defense' operation, many officers and men in senior and sensitive positions transferred classified messages and operational commands through the application.

According to the publication in Ma'ariv, the IDF opened in recent months several groups according to various aspects of military occupation on the popular application, and the soldiers tend to use the software on a daily basis, including during the operation.

In cases uncovered by Ma'ariv, officers used the application to pass commands to junior commanders in the Gaza Strip border – an area exposed to intercept information by Hamas - including confidential information that could endanger the lives of soldiers and civilians.

"We run our lives on whattsup," said one of the soldiers. "Anyway, no one says you cannot use the application, and we have used it for a long time."

At the beginning of the operation messages were sent to the mobile phones of officers demanding they ensure the security of information. In addition, signs were posted at the entrances to the conference areas, in which soldiers and officers were asked to refrain from transferring information by e-mail.

Mobile phones of soldiers waiting in the conference were confiscated, and they were not allowed to contact their relatives until they returned to their base. All this is due to fear of leakage of locations of soldiers to Hamas.

During the Second Lebanon War I visited artillery soldiers on the border, where I was warned not to give my exact position by telephone, since in the past Hezbollah listened to phone calls and sent rockets into these areas.

Maariv also reported that the information security department of Hamas and other organizations in Gaza has considerable technological capabilities: they try to wiretap and spy after mobile phones and computers, to extract every bit of information.

The IDF said in response: "The IDF is aware of the dangers of leaking information to mobile devices, and works tirelessly to transfer risks of information leaked to the general IDF population. In regard to allegations, the subject is unknown to the information security department. It is important to emphasize that 'pillar of defense' has not yet been summarized."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!