Signal, popular application for sending messages, came to the center of attention this week after reporting that several higher officials of Trump’s administration used a tool to carry out war planning – unintentionally, including a journalist in a group of messages.
The application, which started in 2014 and has hundreds of millions of users, is popular among journalists, activists, experts in personal data and policy – anyone who wants to ensure their communication by encryption.
However, the use of the application by government officials has resulted in breach of intelligence information that occurred outside the safe government channels that would usually be used for classified and highly sensitive war planning. The incident raised questions about signal security and why government officials used it. (Federal officials generally must not install a signal on their government facility.)
Here’s what to know.
What is the signal used for?
The signal is an encrypted message for sending messages used for safe communication. He encrypts messages from end to end, which means that what the user says is encrypted on the user’s device and is not decrypted until the recipient reaches. This method protects the message from capturing and reading, including internet service providers, hackers or signal itself, while it is in transit.
Users can also set signal messages to disappear after some time. Users who want their messages to disappear can turn on the settings in the settings for each of their individual chats.
Who owns the signal?
The signal is owned by an independent non -profit organization in the United States called The Signal Foundation. It is financed by gifts from its users and grants.
The Foundation started in 2018 with a $ 50 million gift from Brian Acton, co -founder WhatsApp, other platforms for sending Facebook purchased in 2014.
Mr. Acton joined the Marlinspike Moxy, a cryptograph who suggested a signal safety system to create a signal foundation. The foundation is structured to prevent the signal to motivate motivation to sell user data.
“There are so many great reasons to be on the signal,” wrote Mr. Marlinspike on Monday, who resigned in 2022 in 2022. “Now including the opportunity for the United States Vice President to randomly join the group chat to coordinate sensitive military operations.
Is the signal safe?
Yes. The signal is widely considered to be the safest application for sending messages on the market due to its encryption technology and other measures designed to ensure user data.
Its basic encryption technology is open source, which means that the code is published and allows technologists to explore and identify it and identify it. Technology is also licensed and used by other services such as WhatsApp.
This encryption technology was crucial when the signal was the destination of foreign hackers. Russia tried to explore when Ukrainians use a signal and in February, Google researchers said Russian hackers have tried to bear user accounts. While the second attack was efficient, it worked by forcing users to add dishonest devices to their signaling accounts, not by encrypting the signal.
“Phishing attacks against people using popular applications and websites are on the Internet of life,” said signal spokesman Jun Harada. “As soon as we learned that signal users are focused and how they focused on them, we introduced other guarantees and warranties in an application that helps protect people from the fall of the victims of phishing attacks.”
In the case of safety disruption, the signal is designed to maintain the minimum user data to reveal minimal information. Unlike other messages, the company does not store users’ contacts or other identifying data that could indicate how the person used the service.
This does not mean that the signal is an ideal service for communicating war plans. If the user device is threatened, its signaling messages could be read-and the use of the communication system approved by the government could prevent officials unintentionally, including a journalist in the war discussion.
Is the signal safe for text messages?
Yes, in general, although users should be careful to check new contacts, as well as they could on any other social platform.
And when they add people to their group chats, they may want to make another moment to make sure they include the right contacts.
