White House app auto-downloads to government phones, can't be uninstalled - Ars Technica

Overview

White House app auto-downloads to government phones, can’t be uninstalled

“It’s shooting pure unadulterated propaganda into our veins,” says one worker.

Details

In May, the White House announced that its new app would be automatically downloaded onto the work phones of millions of government employees. The problem: Federal workers hate it and can’t get rid of it.

Employees of the US Department of Agriculture, the State Department, and the Department of Labor, who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation, say that they were disturbed when the app appeared on their phones. Some attempted to delete it, but to no avail.

“I deleted it as a test and it came immediately back,” says an employee from the USDA.

The app, which debuted in March, promises a mixture of “real-time updates, live events, and direct access to the Presidency,” according to the White House website. It is, apparently, the same version that is available to the public on the Apple and Google app stores. A button within the app allows users to “text President Trump,” which autofills a text bubble reading “Greatest President Ever.”

“It’s shooting pure unadulterated propaganda into our veins,” says another government employee. “Maybe Fox’s editorial standards are too high.”

“The White House app does not require anyone to create an account or enter any data into the app, and any information on the app is safe and secure,” White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said when asked about whether there were concerns about the app being downloaded onto government workers’ phones. “Government devices typically include preinstalled apps that provide value to government employees’ day-to-day work.”

In April, shortly after the app launched, cybersecurity experts flagged several concerns, including the fact that the app initially shared users’ locations and IP addresses with third parties. It was developed by an Ohio-based company called 45 Press, which, according to its X account, specializes in “expert Word Press development, design, hosting, ecommerce, and so much more.” According to the System for Award Management, which is used to track government contracts, 45 Press received

An investigation by NOTUS found that the app incorporated widgets created by a Russia-based company called Elfsight, which exposed the personal information of White House officials. Elfsight did not respond to a request for comment. At the time of this reporting, the White House said Elfsight had been made aware of this vulnerability.

Following this article’s publication, Elfsight responded to WIRED’s request for comment, saying, “Any use of Elfsight software within a third-party website or application is controlled by the organization operating that website or application.” As to NOTUS’ prior reporting about its vulnerabilities, Elfsight said it “reviewed the findings, implemented a fix, and shared details of the remediation with the relevant contacts,” adding that “the issue was addressed shortly after it was reported.”

This is particularly concerning, as the app has appeared on the phones of State Department employees, one of whom tells WIRED that they, too, had attempted to delete the app, only to have it reappear.

“I removed it from my phone, but within 24 hours it was back on there,” a State Department employee tells WIRED. “I’m somewhat concerned, as all my work applications are on that phone. I know the Microsoft suite of work applications has a lot of protections built in, but many of my foreign contacts use Whats App, so we use that to communicate, and I’m worried about the White House app vulnerabilities.”

A State Department spokesperson would not discuss the settings or controls of the app but tells WIRED, “department-issued devices are configured to meet applicable federal security requirements.”

When asked about whether the State Department had concerns about the security of devices of foreign diplomats abroad, the spokesperson says the agency “takes cybersecurity and the protection of Department-issued devices seriously” and that “any applications made available on Department-managed devices are subject to applicable federal security and risk-management processes.” The spokesperson would not elaborate on what security measures the State Department has taken.

A Department of Labor spokesperson referred WIRED to the White House’s comment. The USDA did not respond to a request for comment.

Several government employees tell WIRED they rarely use their government-issued work phones, so they are slightly less concerned about possible security issues. Others noted that not every agency has made the move to push the app onto government-issued devices. An employee of the General Services Administration, for instance, says they have not had the White House app installed on their government phone.

None of the employees who spoke to WIRED say they are actively using the app. “Have not looked at it,” a Department of Labor employee tells WIRED. “Will not look at it.”

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Key Takeaways

• White House app auto-downloads to government phones, can’t be uninstalled

• “It’s shooting pure unadulterated propaganda into our veins,” says one worker

• In May, the White House announced that its new app would be automatically downloaded onto the work phones of millions of government employees

• Employees of the US Department of Agriculture, the State Department, and the Department of Labor, who spoke to WIRED on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retaliation, say that they were disturbed when the app appeared on their phones

• “I deleted it as a test and it came immediately back,” says an employee from the USDA