European Commission Archives

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

What is Signal, the messaging app Trump team used to share war plans?

Top officials from the Trump administration mistakenly included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in an encrypted chat on the Signal messaging app, discussing military strategies against Yemen's Houthi rebel group. This incident has led to calls from Democratic and some Republican lawmakers for a congressional investigation into a potential security breach. Goldberg reported being added to the chat on March 13, which aimed to coordinate U.S. military responses to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The inclusion of an outsider in the chat raises concerns about the protocols for sharing classified information on commercial messaging platforms. Under U.S. law, mishandling classified information can result in criminal charges, although it is unclear if any laws were violated in this case. Signal is known for its secure messaging capabilities, utilizing end-to-end encryption, and does not track or store user data beyond basic account information. The app has gained popularity among privacy advocates, journalists, and government organizations.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

Signal event: Why US and European officials rely on the messaging app

A recent incident involved The Atlantic's editor-in-chief in a Signal chat among senior officials from the Trump administration discussing military actions in Yemen. Signal was chosen for its robust security features, including end-to-end encryption that prevents interception by intermediaries. Signal operates as an independent non-profit, unlike WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta. Its popularity is growing in political circles, with recommendations from both the European Commission and Parliament for secure communications. The guidelines noted an increase in threats to telecommunications infrastructure and recommended Signal when corporate tools are unavailable. A recent leak of U.S. national defense plans was due to human error, not Signal's encryption flaws.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

Factbox-What to know about Signal messaging app used by Trump aides to share war plans

Top officials from the Trump administration included a journalist in a private chat on Signal while discussing sensitive military strategies, leading to calls from Democratic lawmakers for a congressional investigation into a potential security breach. Under U.S. law, mishandling classified information can result in criminal charges, although it is unclear if violations occurred in this case. Signal is a secure messaging app known for its end-to-end encryption and privacy features, not tracking or storing user data. Founded in 2012 by Moxie Marlinspike, Signal operates independently and is overseen by Meredith Whittaker. It has gained popularity among journalists, government agencies, and organizations, particularly after concerns over other messaging platforms' privacy policies. The app is recognized as a secure method for whistleblowers to communicate confidentially. Despite its security reputation, some analysts question its suitability for national security discussions.

Tech Optimizer

March 6, 2025

All about CCI’s Dismissal of Antitrust Plaint against Microsoft

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) concluded its examination of a complaint against Microsoft regarding the bundling of antivirus software with its Windows operating system. The CCI found that users can choose antivirus solutions beyond Microsoft Defender and that there was no substantial evidence of market foreclosure in the antivirus sector. The complaint alleged that Microsoft forces OEMs to include Microsoft Security Essentials, limiting competition for third-party antivirus vendors. Microsoft has bundled Microsoft Defender with Windows since 2015 and argued that it aligns with industry standards. The CCI determined that Microsoft holds a dominant position in the antivirus software market for Windows OS in India but found no coercion compelling users to use both products together. The CCI also noted that multiple antivirus vendors continue to operate in the market without significant barriers. The case highlighted issues of consumer inertia and the implications of default settings in digital markets, suggesting that pre-installed options may restrict consumer choice.

Winsage

March 4, 2025

Four times Windows Server costs? Method in the Microsoft

Microsoft opposes regulatory intervention requests from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google regarding its software licensing practices, which the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has flagged as potentially harmful to competition in the cloud computing sector. Microsoft charges clients using its software in non-Azure environments significantly more—up to four times than those using Azure—leading AWS and Google to argue this pricing structure disadvantages them. The CMA has noted Microsoft's ability to limit access to its software for competitors, which Microsoft contests as an infringement on its intellectual property rights. Google has referred to Microsoft's additional costs as a "software tax," and research indicates that European customers have faced overcharges due to Microsoft's licensing policies. In 2023, AWS held nearly 50% of the UK's cloud market share, while Microsoft held between 30 to 40%, and Google Cloud remained a distant third. The CMA is evaluating whether to use its digital markets powers to address identified barriers, with a final decision expected later this year.

AppWizard

February 28, 2025

Russian hackers find ways to snoop on Ukrainian Signal accounts

Hackers are employing deceptive tactics to compromise the security of Ukrainian users by enticing them to scan malicious QR codes, allowing hackers to intercept messages in real time. Recent findings from Google have identified Russia-linked groups, UNC4221 and UNC5792, disseminating altered Signal "group invite" links targeting Ukrainian military personnel. Signal, known for its end-to-end encryption, has not shown vulnerabilities in its encryption protocol, but its "linked devices" functionality is being exploited to bypass security measures. In response, Signal's senior technologist announced an overhaul of the user interface, additional authentication steps, and notifications for new linked devices to enhance user protection against social engineering attacks.

AppWizard

December 13, 2024

Is there an issue with Instagram, Facebook right now? Meta working to resolve app outages

The European Union fined Meta over 0 million for violating antitrust regulations by favoring Facebook Marketplace through abusive practices. On December 11, Meta's applications, including Facebook and Instagram, faced significant outages, with over 100,000 disruption reports for Facebook peaking at 1:16 p.m. EST. Meta acknowledged the issue and worked to resolve it, with reports declining to 22,360 by 2:30 p.m. EST. Instagram experienced 64,728 outage reports at its peak, which decreased to 24,143 later. WhatsApp also had over 10,000 outage reports, while the Threads app reported only 914 incidents at its peak.

Tech Optimizer

September 24, 2024

Updated: Polish flood damages may be limited but GDP impact could be higher than that

Poland is not expected to face a significant fiscal burden from recent floods, with estimated costs around 0.15% to 0.35% of GDP for the year. PLN2 billion has been allocated for relief efforts, and expenditures related to the flooding will not be included in the European Commission's Excessive Deficit Procedure calculations. The European Commission will allow countries affected by the floods to reallocate up to €10 billion of EU funds, with Poland set to receive approximately €5 billion from Cohesion Funds. Proposed relief measures include direct aid for households up to PLN10,000, reconstruction assistance up to PLN200,000, mortgage relief through a bank-funded guarantee scheme, installment options for tax dues for companies, and agricultural tax reliefs for farmers.

AppWizard

September 17, 2024

Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp to work better with other chat apps

In November 2022, the European Commission implemented the Digital Markets Act to promote fair competition and interoperability among messaging services. Meta has announced its strategy to comply with this regulation by introducing three features for Messenger and WhatsApp: 1. Users will receive notifications when a new third-party messaging platform becomes compatible with Messenger and WhatsApp. 2. Users can manage their chats by choosing to keep conversations from third-party services in a separate folder or alongside first-party chats. 3. Meta will enhance messaging functionalities with features like read receipts, typing indicators, replies, and reactions for third-party interactions, with plans to introduce group creation in 2025 and voice and video calling by 2027.

AppWizard

September 6, 2024

Will the CEO’s arrest mean the end of Telegram? 3 alternatives to the secure messaging app

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested in France as part of an investigation into serious allegations, including the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Durov faces charges related to fraud, drug trafficking, operating an online platform for illicit transactions, providing cryptographic services to criminals, failing to communicate necessary information to authorities, money laundering, and CSAM. He was charged on August 29 with "complicity" for not adequately addressing illegal content on Telegram and was released on conditional bail set at €5 million, prohibiting him from leaving France. French President Emmanuel Macron clarified that there are no political motivations behind the arrest, emphasizing it is part of an ongoing judicial investigation.