A security failure at The Intercept let someone hijack its whistleblower tip line for months, putting anonymous sources at risk — bad news for the outlet and anyone who leaked to it.

• The Intercept's Signal tip line went unchecked so long that Signal marked it dormant and let a stranger claim it.
• The impersonator posed as the outlet's investigative intake, replying under posts from the White House, Schumer, and Jim Jordan to solicit tips.
• Anyone who leaked during this window may have handed their identity and information straight to the impostor, not to real journalists.
• The Intercept quietly "updated" its tip line but won't publicly admit sources may be compromised — likely because it means confessing it wasn't checking the account.
• Clues point to the hijacker being based in Hong Kong or Beijing, based on the account's linked location and its activity hours.

Outlook: The fake account is still soliciting leaks, and unless The Intercept issues a clear warning, past sources remain exposed.