Critical Risks for Government and Infrastructure
BlackBerry Secure Communications released a report on April 21, 2026, highlighting widespread misunderstandings about messaging app security among government and critical infrastructure leaders. ‘The State of Secure Communications 2026’ surveyed 700 security decision-makers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore. The findings revealed significant gaps in encryption literacy, posing national security risks.
83% of security leaders report using WhatsApp for sensitive discussions, despite misconceptions about encryption protection. Reliance on consumer messaging apps exposes organisations to risks, as encryption only safeguards the communication channel, not the identities of the users involved.
98% of respondents rely on foreign-hosted platforms lacking the sovereign control they desire. This illustrates a critical blind spot in data sovereignty, as many leaders prioritise control over their communications infrastructure but continue using platforms not designed for confidential communications or high-security environments.
Christine Gadsby, Chief Security Advisor at BlackBerry Secure Communications, stated, “Consumer messaging apps were never designed to handle sensitive communications, protect confidentiality, or meet the demands of high-security environments.” governments and critical infrastructure organisations are moving toward communications infrastructure they own and trust.
Confidence Versus Reality
Despite 90% of organisations claiming to be crisis-ready, only 49% have a unified crisis communications platform. This mismatch is exacerbated by reliance on tools like group chats and email threads, which are not designed for secure crisis coordination.
The report reveals that 52% of leaders mistakenly believe encryption protects metadata, while 47% think it prevents impersonation attacks. This gap in understanding increases risk exposure in critical sectors.
Organisations are beginning to recognise these vulnerabilities and are shifting towards adopting secure communication infrastructures that offer greater control and protection against emerging threats. Recent intelligence advisories from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe about state-backed espionage attacks targeting Signal and WhatsApp accounts underscore the urgency of these changes.
52% of respondents are concerned about telecom networks being monitored or disrupted, a risk demonstrated by espionage campaigns like Salt Typhoon and UNC3886 in Singapore. These concerns drive the need for secure and sovereign communication solutions.
Last updated: 22 April 2026, 1:04 am
