Trump Refuses To Give Up Vulnerable Smartphone, A Huge Security Threat

President Donald Trump is still using his old Samsung Galaxy S3, which is a consumer device that was never meant to withstand the kind of scrutiny that the leader of the free world is regularly subjected to. With his refusal to use a more secure device, Trump is basically carrying a huge security risk that could allow for some major intelligence leaks.

Among the people who are concerned about Trump’s stubbornness is Bruce Schneier, an expert in cryptography. According to a blog post that he made, it’s not so much the data going into the device that’s worrisome. Rather, it’s the several vulnerabilities on the device itself that’s going to be a problem.

“This is a consumer device, and it’s going to have security vulnerabilities,” the post reads. “He’s at risk from everybody, ranging from lone hackers to the better-funded intelligence agencies of the world. And while the risk of a forged e-mail is real — it could easily move the stock market — the bigger risk is eavesdropping. That Android has a microphone, which means that it can be turned into a room bug without anyone’s knowledge. That’s my real fear.”

Being able to hijack the audio hardware of a device might sound something out of a spy movie compared to simply getting hacked via emails, but it has been proven possible several times in the past, BGR reports. The only reason why it sounds unbelievable is because it hasn’t really happened all that often to people who don’t hold significant positions in society. Who would want to spend so much effort listening in on a person who works in a cubicle in a no-name company?

More than gathering sensitive US government intelligence, Trump’s use of a vulnerable device could make him an easier target as well, Politico notes. Hackers could infect his phone in order to track his movements, which could then be used for nefarious purposes.