What is the signal of the correspondence application and how safe it is?

The reference to the free correspondence application topped the headlines after the White House confirmed that it was used in a secret group chat between senior American officials.

The Atlantic Editor -in -Chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was discussed unintentionally to the group, where plans were discussed to strike against the Houthi group in Yemen.

It has caused a major violent reaction, as the Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer described it as “one of the most amazing military intelligence leaks” in history and calls for investigation.

But what is the reference in reality – and how the communications of great politicians on that?

Signal estimated between 40 to 70 million users per month – making it very small compared to the largest correspondence services, WhatsApp and Messenger, which calculates its customers with billions.

Where it leads the road despite the fact that security.

At the core is the encryption from the end to the (E2e) tip.

Simply put, this means only the sender and the future can read the messages – even the same signal is not accessible.

A number of other platforms also contain E2e – including WhatsApp – but Signal safety features go beyond that.

For example, the symbol that makes the application of the application open source – which means that anyone can verify it to ensure that there are no weaknesses that the infiltrators can exploit.

Their owners say it collects much lower information than its users, and in particular they do not store the records of user names, profile photos or groups that people are part of.

There is also no need to reduce these features to earn more money: the signaling signal for Signal Foundation, a US -based non -profit organization, which depends on donations instead of advertising revenues.

“The signal is the golden standard in your own comments,” said its president, Meridith Whitaker. In a post on x After it became the story of the American national security publicly.

The “golden standard claim” is what makes the sign attractive to cyber security experts and journalists who often use the application.

But even this level of security is not sufficient for high -level conversations on very sensitive national security issues.

This is because there is a largely inevitable danger to communicate via a mobile phone: he is only safe like the person who uses it.

If someone gets access to your phone with a signal opening – or if you learn your password – they will be able to see your messages.

No application can prevent someone overlooking your shoulder if you use your phone in a public space.

Data expert Caro Robson, who worked with the American administration, said he is “very unusual” for high -level security officials to communicate on the messaging platform such as Signal.

“It usually uses a very safe government system that is operated and owned by the government using very high levels of encryption,” she said.

She usually means the devices saved in “very safe government sites”.

The United States government historically used a sensitive information facility (SCIF – clear “SKIFF”) to discuss national security issues.

SCIF is a very closed closed area in which personal devices are not allowed.

“Until this type of information classified, it should be in a specific room or construct repeatedly on insects or any listening devices,” said Robson.

Scifs can be found in places ranging from military bases to the homes of officials.

She said: “The entire system is largely encrypted and secured by using the highest government standards for encryption.”

“Especially when the defense participates.”

Another case related to the signal that has sparked fears – messages disappear.

The signal, like many other correspondence applications, allows its users to set messages to disappear after a specific period of time.

Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic Ocean said that some of the messages in the group of signals that were added to the disappearance after a week.

These laws related to saving records may violate – unless the application is rewritten on their messages to an official government account.

This is also far from the first grade that includes E2ee

Various departments wanted to create the so -called rear paper in the correspondence services that they use so that they can read the messages that they believe may pose a threat to national security.

Applications including the signal and WhatsApp have fought attempts to create such a back door, saying it will be used to the end by bad actors.

signal He threatened to withdraw the application from the United Kingdom in 2023 If legislators are undermined.

This year, the UK government has become involved in a large row with Apple, which also uses E2e to protect some files in cloud storage.

Apple ended up with the UK’s feature withdrawing completely after the government demanded access to data protected in this way by the technology giant.

The legal issue continues.

However, as this controversy shows, it does not matter any level of safety or legal protection if you simply share your secret data with the wrong person.

or One of the critics was frankly put: “The encryption cannot protect you from stupidity.”