两位消息人士周四向ABC新闻证实，国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯(Pete Hegseth)在他办公室的一台个人电脑上使用了这款信号应用程序，该电脑通过一条不安全的商业线路连接到互联网，即所谓的“肮脏线路”。
“脏线”是一种商业互联网线路的昵称，用于连接五角大楼非机密(NIPR)或机密(SIPR)线路上不可用的网站。
知情人士称，这条肮脏的线路是应海格塞斯的要求安装的，这样他就可以在个人电脑上使用信号应用程序。
商业互联网线路没有国防部非机密系统所具有的任何防火墙保护，因此它可能容易受到监控，特别是在交流敏感信息的情况下。
新闻是第一个据报告的美联社报道。
当被问及海格塞斯办公室是否存在非法电话时，国防部发言人提到了五角大楼首席发言人肖恩·帕内尔(Sean Parnell)早些时候的一份声明。
帕内尔说:“国防部长对通信系统和频道的使用是保密的。「不过，我们可以证实，保安司从来没有在他的政府电脑上使用过Signal，现时亦没有。」
周二，Hegseth强烈否认他在Signal messaging应用程序上的第二次群聊中分享的内容是关于美国即将对也门的胡塞武装分子进行空袭的机密战争计划，并指责前工作人员泄露消息，指责他们带着新信息去新闻媒体“破坏”特朗普的议程。
赫格塞斯和其他政府官员坚称，早些时候与国家安全顾问迈克·华尔兹(Mike Waltz)建立的另一个信号小组分享的有关这些空袭的信息不是机密。
周二，Hegseth继续提出这一案件，因为有人质疑他如何与一个较小的信号集团分享类似信息，消息人士告诉ABC新闻，包括他的妻子，兄弟和个人律师。
“我每天都在看战争计划。无论你如何描述，当时和现在通过信号共享的是非正式的非机密的媒体协调和其他事情。这是我从一开始就说过的，”海格塞思在五角大楼“福克斯”的现场采访中说和朋友。"
熟悉聊天的消息人士早些时候告诉美国广播公司新闻，黑格斯在参议院确认过程中与家人和朋友建立了信号小组。采访中没有人问赫格塞斯，为什么他会与包括他妻子在内的亲密私人顾问分享这些信息，他的妻子不是美国政府雇员。
Hegseth used Signal app connected to 'dirty line' on personal computer in Pentagon office
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the Signal app on a personal computer in his office that was connected to the internet on an unsecured commercial line, what's known as a "dirty line," two sources confirmed to ABC News Thursday.
A "dirty line" is the nickname given to a commercial internet line that is used to connect to websites that would not be available on the Pentagon's unclassified (NIPR) or classified (SIPR) lines.
This dirty line was installed at Hegseth's request so he could use the Signal app on the personal computer, the sources said.
A commercial internet line does not have any of the firewall protections that the Defense Department's unclassified system has, so that makes it potentially susceptible to being monitored particularly if sensitive information is being communicated.
The news was firstreportedby The Associated Press.
Reached for comment about the existence of the dirty line in Hegseth's office, a DOD spokesperson referred to an earlier statement from Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson.
"The Secretary of Defense's use of communications systems and channels is classified," said Parnell. "However, we can confirm that the Secretary has never used and does not currently use Signal on his government computer."
On Tuesday, Hegseth strongly denied that what he shared over a second group chat on the Signal messaging app were classified war plans about imminent U.S. airstrikes targeting Houthi militants in Yemen, and blamed former staffers for leaking, accusing them of going to the news media with new information to "sabotage" Trump's agenda.
Hegseth and other administration officials have insisted that the information about those airstrikes that was shared earlier with another Signal group established by national security adviser Mike Waltz was not classified.
On Tuesday, Hegseth continued to make that case as questions have been raised about how he shared similar information with a smaller Signal group that sources told ABC News included his wife, brother, and personal attorney.
"I look at war plans every single day. What was shared over Signal then and now, however you characterize it, was informal unclassified coordination for media coordination other things. That's what I've said from the beginning," Hegseth said in a live interview from the Pentagon on "Fox& Friends."
Sources familiar with the chat had earlier told ABC News that Hegseth had established the Signal group with family and friends during his Senate confirmation process. Hegseth was not asked in the interview why he had shared the information with that group of close personal advisers that included his wife, who is not a U.S. government employee.
