Blog Why WhatsApp, Signal & Co. are not an option for secure communication between authorities

Why WhatsApp, Signal & Co. are not an option for secure communication between authorities

Standard messengers do not meet the requirements for secure communication between authorities. Find out which seven criteria for real security authorities, critical infrastructure and security authorities and organizations must consider when choosing their messaging solution and which alternative is recommended.

Teamwire, Apr 14 2025

“I’ll send a quick message via WhatsApp.” Why this is precisely the problem.

An IT manager in city administration, a doctor on emergency duty, an operations manager at the fire department, or the closest government circle – they all face the daily challenge of passing on information quickly and securely.

Reaching for a private smartphone and the familiar messenger is often an obvious choice. A quick update via WhatsApp, an assessment of the situation via Telegram, and feedback via Signal are fast, practical, and insecure.

What may be considered harmless in the private sphere is a risk at the level of authorities, critical infrastructure, public safety, and health – legally, technically, and politically. The requirements for secure communication between authorities are higher today than ever before, and they cannot be met with standard messenger apps.

In this article, you will learn why this is the case, which criteria count, and why Teamwire was built precisely for this purpose.

Standard messenger: fast, practical – but not suitable for the authorities

Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram are familiar to millions of users. They are intuitive, work across all devices, and offer security functions such as end-to-end encryption. But appearances are deceptive and caution is advised, especially for authorities.

These apps were developed for the mass market. They are subject to commercial interests and often regulatory requirements outside the EU.

They cannot be managed centrally, offer no granular assignment of rights, do not offer audit-proof archiving, or provide control over storage locations and data flows.

Telegram even completely dispenses with transparent encryption, and WhatsApp, as part of the Meta Group, has been under close scrutiny for years regarding data protection.

Recent incidents such as the so-called “SignalGate” scandal in the USA show that caution is required.

US ministers and other high-ranking government officials exchanged secret military plans for attacks in Yemen via the messenger Signal – in a group chat that inadvertently included a journalist from The Atlantic.

This incident shows how quickly minor carelessness can cause significant security gaps in government communications, especially with solutions not designed for this purpose.

In government communication, such errors are not only embarrassing but potentially dangerous.

Secure communication between authorities must meet these 7 requirements

So what does it take to make communication at the authority level truly secure, GDPR-compliant, and efficient?

The following seven points provide clear guidance:

1. State-of-the-art encryption – without backdoors

Confidentiality is non-negotiable. Sensitive communication can only be protected if all messages, files, and calls are consistently encrypted and there are no provider backdoors.

2. Metadata economy

Not only is content critical. Metadata such as “Who communicates with whom and when?” also says a lot. A solution for secure communication between authorities must also be limited to the bare essentials when collecting and analyzing metadata.

3. Reliable authentication

Security-relevant communication requires clear identities. Only with verified users – for example, via single sign-on or connection to central directory services – can it be ensured that no one gains access unnoticed.

4. Mobile device management (MDM) and central administration

Devices in public authorities and organizations must be able to be centrally configured, locked, deleted, or assigned usage guidelines. This is only possible with a centralized administration and ideally the support of an MDM platform.

5. Archiving and documentation

Audit-proof communication is mandatory for audits, proof, or public transparency. Messengers without export or archiving functions fail here.

6. Storage periods and retention policies

Data must not be stored indefinitely or deleted unregulated. Legally compliant communication means defined retention periods, automatic deletion concepts, and documented data storage.

7. Hosting in the EU for genuine data sovereignty

A key requirement for trustworthy communication is that all data remains in Europe. This is the only way to guarantee GDPR compliance. Even better: hosting in an ISO-certified, BSI-C5-compliant data center.

Data sovereignty is no longer a nice-to-have but a strategic necessity

The discussion about Europe’s independence from US cloud services has taken on a new urgency due to laws such as the CLOUD Act, the restriction of the PCLO, and the consequences of the Schrems II decision.

Any public authority or critical institution that relies on messaging services not subject to European regulation exposes itself to compliance risks and risks of losing control over sensitive information.

So, it’s not just about data protection. It’s about state sovereignty, digital resilience, and the credibility of public communication, which is particularly crucial in security-relevant areas.

Teamwire: Developed for secure government communication

Teamwire was developed with a clear goal:

To provide authorities, public safety, critical infrastructure, and the healthcare sector with a messaging solution that meets all requirements for security, control, and EU data sovereignty.

The Teamwire software guarantees:

100% data protection compliant and secure communication. Your sensitive data remains protected from potential data breaches and compliance risks.
State-of-the-art encryption without compromise, so third parties cannot view the message content.
Metadata economy so that only the most necessary information is stored.
Professional role and user management through central administration. This keeps all data and information in one place and centrally managed. Fully MDM-capable.
EU-certified hosting (ISO 27001 and BSI C5) and made in Germany, keeping control in European hands.
Legally compliant archiving for clear traceability.
Third-party integrations like CMS or ERP systems can be easily integrated, just like HR or project management tools and chatbots, so you can work seamlessly with all applications.
Federation-enabled for cross-organizational, secure collaboration without relying on insecure third-party services.

However, Teamwire is not only a secure solution but also a convenient one. The user interface is intuitive, the support is personal, and the implementation is individually scalable. Many authorities, such as the police, municipal administrations, and medical services, rely on Teamwire today.

Helpful features have been specially developed for these target groups to simplify their day-to-day work.

Secure communication between authorities: high time for a change of direction

The challenges of modern government communication can no longer be solved with consumer messengers. Those who bear responsibility need a tool that does not leave security, control, and legal compliance to chance.

Teamwire is the solution for organizations that don’t want to compromise user-friendliness or security.

Get to know Teamwire and start with a free demo or take a look at our case studies.

➡️ Read the case studies here.

➡️ Request a demo here.