Signal has no known/published real security audit?
-
Lack of detailed audits...only in this case specifically...does not imply lack of security and/or privacy.
The protocol that Signal uses, which is in fact firmly audited with no major problematic findings, plus the fact the client is OSS is generally enough to lower any concerns.
The server side software in production for Signal.org is not OSS. It will not be. You are required to trust the server to use Signal; because the protocol and the client renders it factually impossible for the server to spy on your messages. The server cannot read messages; or even connect who is messaging who if the correct client settings are used. (Sealed Sender).
Non-OS stats software in general is not automatically lacking in privacy or security, particularly not in this case where the affected software does interact only with software that is verifiably open-source and trustworthy in general due to the protocols and how they are implemented correctly in a verifiable manner.
Non-OS stats software in general is not automatically lacking in privacy or security
Sure is. It's only that in this case you are sure that your messages are sufficiently protected, so you can send them over a untrusted service.
-
Someone made a compilation of academic reviews and blogposts here: https://community.signalusers.org/t/wiki-overview-of-third-party-security-audits/13243
but none of them seem to be real security audit reports, ex. compare with real security audits to Delta Chat: https://delta.chat/en/help#security-auditsThere's a hardened "version" of signal called molly
-
There's a hardened "version" of signal called molly
does that one has security audits? thanks in advance
-
If you use Android, Briar is end to end encrypted and doesn't have a central server and its recommended by privacyguides.org
does Briar has security audits you could point to? thanks in advance
-
As I seen in other comment I think that the protocol is audited not really the app and servers
In comparison SimpleX is audited pretty regularlycould you provide some source/link to the SimpleX security audits? I would like to look into it, thanks in advance!
-
does Briar has security audits you could point to? thanks in advance
-
does that one has security audits? thanks in advance
Both signal and molly are considered safe, a lot of apps use the same protocol as signal, most risk come from messages leaks before the encryprion happens.
Unfortunately, I'm not aware if they did external audits, but both codes are available in github.
-
could you provide some source/link to the SimpleX security audits? I would like to look into it, thanks in advance!
This seems to be the latest one. https://simplex.chat/blog/20241014-simplex-network-v6-1-security-review-better-calls-user-experience.html
-
Someone made a compilation of academic reviews and blogposts here: https://community.signalusers.org/t/wiki-overview-of-third-party-security-audits/13243
but none of them seem to be real security audit reports, ex. compare with real security audits to Delta Chat: https://delta.chat/en/help#security-auditsNot a formal audit, but a more recent review of the protocol: https://soatok.blog/2025/02/18/reviewing-the-cryptography-used-by-signal/
-
Not a formal audit, but a more recent review of the protocol: https://soatok.blog/2025/02/18/reviewing-the-cryptography-used-by-signal/
thanks, I think I know that one, but yeah as you said it is not a real security audit and the person itself said so
-
Both signal and molly are considered safe, a lot of apps use the same protocol as signal, most risk come from messages leaks before the encryprion happens.
Unfortunately, I'm not aware if they did external audits, but both codes are available in github.
At a user level, the biggest security compromise with signal is enabling notifications
-
At a user level, the biggest security compromise with signal is enabling notifications
That's a big one, you can disable it, but if the other person has it enabled it can leak it after decryption also.
-
This seems to be the latest one. https://simplex.chat/blog/20241014-simplex-network-v6-1-security-review-better-calls-user-experience.html
Right thank you
-
That's a big one, you can disable it, but if the other person has it enabled it can leak it after decryption also.
Exactly the issue, same as always. Signal got rid of sms because it was insecure but enable reply in notifications by default.
-
System shared this topic on
