Messaging app WhatsApp has been banned on congressional staffers’ government devices, the House’s chief administrative officer confirmed Monday.

“Protecting the People’s House is our topmost priority, and we are always monitoring and analyzing for potential cybersecurity risks that could endanger the data of House Members and staff,” Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor said in a statement shared with The Hill.

“We routinely review the list of House-authorized apps and will amend the list as deemed appropriate,” she added.

Staffers were notified Monday via email, Axios first reported.

According to the email obtained by Axios, Szpindor told staffers the Office of Cybersecurity determined WhatsApp is a “high-risk to users due to lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption and potential security risks involved with its use.”

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