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Signal secure messaging app launches encrypted group video calls
Now, Signal is joining the fray and offering a secure way to video chat with friends, colleagues or classmates. Signal has launched the new feature with the latest version of its apps, and as you’d expect, video calls on the service are end-to-end encrypted. While most people probably already have a video conferencing app of choice at this point in time, Signal fans might appreciate being able to rely on the app for their group calls, as well.
Signal lets you see more info before you accept a message from a stranger
Signal lets you see a sender's profile before you accept, delete or block a message or call.
Now Signal on iOS can securely transfer your data to a new device
It’s now finally possible to transfer your Signal data from one iPhone to another.
How to protect your identity while protesting police brutality
As protests around the country against police brutality continue to expand, law enforcement's reaction grows ever more heavy-handed. Here are some ways to protect yourself and your identity.
Signal adds a face blurring tool its secure messaging app
Signal has added a face-blurring feature to its app.
Signal's secure iOS messenger now supports iPads
The latest update for Signal comes with a dedicated version for iPads and gives you the ability to set up your tablet as a linked device. Similar to Signal for desktop, the iPad version of the secure messaging app works seamlessly with your phone, allowing you to send and receive messages on either device. The updated application now also has a new interface designed for a tablet's screen, featuring more room without the artificial zoom that makes elements look janky. It can even show your conversations with a horizontal layout in landscape mode whenever you're viewing them on an iPad.
Sports teams are using Signal to duck deflategate-like scandals
Facebook isn't the only company struggling over the prospect of end-to-end encryption in messaging apps, as a report from Yahoo Sports cites examples from "every level of sport" turning to encrypted messaging. While Whatsapp and iMessage provide encrypted communications, increasingly the app of choice is turning out to be Signal, which not only protects their message from MITM spying, but can also auto-delete them based on rules. If you're a college coach or athletic director and someone makes a FOIA request, that could reduce the amount of information they get about contacts with recruits and boosters. In the NFL, investigators pursuing the "deflategate" incident famously requested access to Tom Brady's texts, but the quarterback destroyed his phone prior to meeting them -- an act cited in the league's decision to hand down a four game suspension. He stated that breaking or wiping a cell phone when he got a new one was a standard practice, but execs and agents believe a simpler, stronger argument is that if you've set Signal's rules to delete all messages regularly, then investigators can't claim you were trying to hide a particular conversation. The report specifically calls out the NBA, where commissioner Adam Silver has been pushing to reduce "tampering," or contact between players, their representatives and teams about contracts or transactions outside of the approved periods. Marc Stein of the New York Times reported this week that the NBA sent a memo to teams requiring them to keep all contract-related communications for at least a year, while The Athletic explained that could include notes on training, endorsements, player fit with a team and more. The rule seems specifically aimed at cutting off any argument about using Signal as a simple standard practice, and it wouldn't be surprising to see other leagues do something similar, whether or not they'll be able to enforce it.
The safest messaging apps
So you want to send a short, instant, text-based dispatch to another human. The options are endless -- iMessage, Slack, Instagram, WhatsApp, Skype, Snapchat -- but their security is variable. Short of whispering words into another person's ear, it's difficult to guarantee that no one else will ever be eavesdropping. For anything you wouldn't want to be seen by your ISP or used against you in a court of law, end-to-end encryption is necessary. It works by giving every user of an app a public key and a private key. Messages sent to you are encrypted with your public key and can only be opened with the private key. To anybody without your private key -- including the app company or a government that comes for the data later -- the text is indecipherable.
NBC's free news streaming service will fully launch in May
NBC has run a limited version of its streaming news channel for the past few months. Soon, however, it'll be ready to open the taps: the broadcaster is officially launching its free NBC News Now service in early May. It'll be available on a plethora of devices (including living room devices like Apple TV and Roku) and should deliver eight hours of original programming per day, including live updates both on the hour and for breaking stories. The ultimate aim is to provide around-the-clock content, NBC News President Noah Oppenheim said.
Signal says it can't allow government access to users' chats
Last week, the Australian government passed the country's controversial Access and Assistance Bill 2018 into law, legislation that allows government agencies to demand access to encrypted communications. Companies that don't comply with the new law could face fines of up to AU$10 million ($7.3 million). A number of companies that stand to be affected have spoken out about the legislation, and Signal has now joined in, explaining that it won't be able to fulfill such requests if asked.
Signal's new 'Sealed Sender' feature makes conversations anonymous
Messaging service Signal is popular with privacy-minded users. It doesn't store any record of your contacts, social graph, conversation list, location, avatar, profile name or group details. Until recently, though, one important piece of data was still visible: who is messaging whom -- kind of like having the sender's address on a physical piece of mail. The latest beta release, however, includes a feature that blocks that, too: "sealed sender."
NBC News unveils 'Signal' streaming news network
NBC News is joining its rivals by venturing beyond cable TV with a streaming news channel called Signal. You can watch it on the NBC News website and NBC's apps, as well as third-party services including YouTube, Twitter and Pluto TV.
Your Mac might be storing your ‘deleted’ Signal messages
One of Signal's major draws is the fact that it automatically deletes your messages. But though it may be wiping your conversations, it turns out your Mac probably isn't, Motherboard reports. Security researcher Alec Muffett tweeted about the problem this week and the issue lies with how the computers manage notifications. Depending on your settings, the macOS Notification Center might display and retain your recent messages, including the name of who sent them and what they said.
Amazon pushes Signal creators to change their anti-censorship tool
For years, Open Whisper Systems has used clever tricks to circumvent censorship of its Signal messaging app on the part of countries trying to silence political dissent. Those methods are getting it into hot water, however. Amazon has warned OWS that Signal's anti-censorship system violates AWS terms of service not only hiding the true origins of its traffic, but by using a domain it doesn't have the rights to use -- namely, Amazon's own Souq.com. The chat service doesn't have permission to use Souq's internet domain "for any purpose," Amazon said.
Signal Messenger receives $50 million from WhatsApp co-founder
WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton left Facebook in 2017 to start a non-profit. Turns out that non-profit involves another messaging app: Signal. In a blog post, Signal chief Moxie Marlinspike has announced the launch of Signal Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was made possible by the $50,000,000 in funding Acton provided. Signal's secure messaging app is a popular choice among privacy-focused users, including staff members of the US Senate. Even though it's a fairly recognizable name, it's been having financial troubles that make it hard to hire more people to develop new features.
Apple to repair iPhone 7s with 'no service' bug for free
Today Apple announced it's launching a repair program for a "small percentage" of iPhone 7 owners who are affected by a "no service" issue. Late last year MacRumors said Apple was investigating the problem and appeared ready to replace affected devices, which would display "No service" in their status bar even when cell signal was clearly available. The cause of the problem is apparently a failed component on the logic board, and Apple says affected units (with model #s A1660, A1679, and A1780) extend through its entire production run from September 2016 until now.
Lebanese hackers stole a ton of data then left it on an open server
The Electronic Frontier Foundation and mobile security company Lookout released a report today detailing a major hacking campaign -- dubbed Dark Caracal -- that's believed to have originated from Lebanon's General Directorate of General Security (GDGS), one of the country's intelligence agencies. The companies found information gathered from thousands of victims from over 20 countries through espionage efforts extending back to 2012. Targets included military personnel, journalists, activists, financial institutions and manufacturing companies and some of the stolen data included documents, call records, texts, contact information and photos. Michael Flossman, a Lookout security researcher, told the Associated Press, "It was everything. Literally everything."
Skype is adding an option for encrypted conversations
Soon, your chats on Skype can be just as secure as conversations on Signal, the service used by US Senators. Microsoft is integrating the open source Signal protocol, used by WhatsApp, Google, Facebook and Signal itself, into test versions of Skype as 'Private Conversations' for end-to-end encrypted communications.
Signal's secure messaging is now available in a desktop app
You can already use Signal for secure chats on the desktop, but you've had to use a Chrome web app to participate in those encrypted conversations. What if you don't like Chrome, or would just prefer something more elegant than a browser? Signal is ready to help. It just released a stand-alone PC app, Signal Desktop, that offers privacy-minded messaging without heading to the web. The experience isn't a radical break from what you've known before, but it will make sure that you don't type in the wrong browser tab and reveal your innermost secrets.
WiFi mesh networks can detect your breathing
In the world of indoor security systems, motion detection usually relies on cameras or at least dedicated sensors. Both types of solution add to hardware plus installation costs, not to mention that not everyone is comfortable with having cameras pointing at them all the time. Origin Wireless, on the other hand, found a way to make use of WiFi signals bouncing around a room to detect even the slightest movement -- down to something as subtle as a person's breathing rate. What's more, this "Time Reversal Machine" technology is essentially just some clever algorithmic work with little burden on the processor, so it can potentially be added to any existing WiFi mesh routers via a firmware update. In other words, security system vendors should take note.
