Pentagon Warns of False Memo Circulating About Allegedly Compromised Mobile Apps

A Department of Defense official has confirmed that a widely circulated memo claiming multiple apps were compromised and revealing U.S. military personnel locations is fake. The document, which purportedly came from U.S. Cyber Command, warned service members to disable location services on their devices due to alleged security breaches.

“The command did not issue messages to U.S. service members to turn off location services on their electronic devices and did not issue messages that applications had been compromised,” the official told Defense One. The spokesperson added that, due to operational security protocols, U.S. Cyber Command does not publicly discuss intelligence, operations or capabilities related to cybersecurity.

The fabricated message specifically named several popular applications—Uber, Snapchat, and Talabat (a prominent Middle Eastern food delivery service)—claiming they had been compromised and could potentially expose military personnel locations. Some versions of the false memo suggested that service member locations within the continental United States were also at risk.

Representatives from the named companies quickly denied any security incidents. Uber stated late Sunday that there were no indications of a compromise to their systems. A Snapchat spokesperson similarly confirmed no security breaches had occurred. Talabat, which operates primarily throughout the Middle East, did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.

The fake memo began circulating in military service member chat groups and social media channels on Sunday evening, just one day after the United States and Israel initiated military strikes against Iran. The timing of the document’s appearance raised immediate concerns about potential disinformation campaigns designed to create confusion during active military operations.

According to defense officials, while some military personnel familiar with standard communication protocols questioned the document’s authenticity, its widespread distribution made verification difficult in the initial hours after it began circulating. The message even reached non-public Defense Department communication channels, further complicating efforts to determine its origin and legitimacy.

This incident represents just one component of a larger wave of false information that flooded social media platforms in the wake of the military action against Iran. Security experts note that such disinformation campaigns typically intensify during periods of international conflict, particularly targeting military personnel and creating confusion among allies.

Iran has previously been identified as a state actor that routinely generates and amplifies misinformation to create confusion and sow discord among adversaries. The country maintains sophisticated influence operations designed to shape narratives during periods of heightened tension. However, defense officials have not yet attributed this specific fake memo to Iranian actors or any other specific source.

The rapid spread of this fabricated document highlights the evolving challenges faced by military and intelligence agencies in combating disinformation during active conflicts. With social media platforms enabling near-instantaneous sharing of unverified information, false claims can reach thousands of personnel before official channels can respond or debunk them.

Military communication experts emphasize that official directives regarding operational security typically follow established distribution protocols and verification systems. Service members are regularly trained to be skeptical of unexpected security alerts that don’t follow standard channels, particularly during periods of heightened international tensions.

The Pentagon continues to monitor information channels for additional attempts to spread false information related to ongoing military operations, with particular attention to content that might compromise operational security or troop safety.