encryption technology Archives

AppWizard

July 13, 2025

Secure Messaging: The Guardian Leverages Millions of Readers to Provide Strong Plausible Deniability

The Guardian has introduced a tool called Secure Messaging to protect journalistic sources, utilizing an open-source technology named CoverDrop. This system allows whistleblowers to communicate securely and anonymously with journalists by concealing the fact that messaging is occurring. CoverDrop integrates a module within The Guardian's mobile app, an untrusted cloud-based API, on-premises services known as CoverNode, and a desktop application for journalists. The CoverNode functions as a mix node to ensure the anonymity of sources. The app exchanges encrypted messages that appear indistinguishable from regular app data, providing cover for users. The technology has been rolled out to millions of users this year, and a white paper detailing its design has been published. Currently, the platform does not allow sharing of photographs or documents, but future plans include linking uploaded files with conversations. The source code for CoverDrop is available on GitHub under the Apache License 2.0.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

TeleMessage suspends services after hackers claim breach

TeleMessage has temporarily suspended all services due to a reported security breach, with the parent company Smarsh investigating the incident. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has discontinued using the app as a precaution. A hacker claimed to have accessed a centralized TeleMessage server and downloaded data, including a screenshot of the contact list for employees at Coinbase, which confirmed the authenticity of the screenshot but stated that customer data remained secure. Multiple U.S. government agencies have contracts with TeleMessage or related entities. Another hacker also claimed to have breached TeleMessage, providing evidence of their claims. The investigation into the breach is ongoing, and it is unclear if sensitive communications from U.S. officials were compromised.

AppWizard

March 27, 2025

Which is the most secure messaging app? Expert weighs in after U.S. war plan leak blunder

A significant intelligence breach occurred when Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a sensitive Signal group chat that included discussions about U.S. military operations targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen, involving Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer described it as "one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence." Experts emphasized that the breach resulted from human error, not flaws in encryption technology. Signal is considered the gold standard for secure messaging due to its end-to-end encryption and lack of metadata collection. Other platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp have varying levels of security, with iMessage requiring both parties to use Apple devices for full protection, and WhatsApp collecting metadata. Telegram does not enable end-to-end encryption by default for standard messages. The incident highlights that even the most secure messaging applications cannot prevent breaches caused by human oversight.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

What Is Signal, the App Involved in a War Plans Security Breach?

Signal has recently garnered attention due to reports that senior officials from the Trump administration used the platform for sensitive war planning discussions, inadvertently including a journalist in the messaging group. This incident has raised questions about the appropriateness of using Signal for classified discussions, particularly since federal employees are usually prohibited from installing such applications on government-issued devices. Signal, launched in 2014, is an encrypted messaging application that facilitates secure communication through end-to-end encryption, ensuring messages remain private and unreadable until they reach the intended recipient. It also offers a feature for messages to disappear after a set period. Signal is operated by the Signal Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization funded by donations and grants, which allows it to prioritize privacy and security without commercial influences.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

What is Signal? The app where US officials accidentally shared war plans with a journalist

A group chat among top US officials on the secure messaging app Signal inadvertently included a journalist, raising concerns about the app's security and the protocols for its use by government officials. Signal is known for its end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only participants can access conversations, and it cannot comply with law enforcement requests for user data. During the Biden administration, officials were allowed to use Signal under strict instructions not to share classified information. The incident involving Trump administration officials, who mistakenly added a journalist to a chat about military operations, is being reviewed by the National Security Council.