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Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

whispersystems.org

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Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#61

Post by a3_nm »

verusfossa wrote: post #58

TextSecure used to be on fDroid, then this happened https://f-droid.org/posts/security-notice-textsecure/ . Now it's a GPlay exclusive. I don't have GAPPS so now I can't get it. I'd assume many privacy conscious people don't have GAPPS. I understand the technical hurtles, but it's too big a pill to swallow.

TextSecure requires proprietary Google applications and this is deliberate: http://support.whispersystems.org/customer/portal/articles/2...

SMSSecure is an acceptable alternative (for text messages), available on F-Droid.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#62

Post by suenamy »

verusfossa wrote: post #58

TextSecure used to be on fDroid, then this happened https://f-droid.org/posts/security-notice-textsecure/ . Now it's a GPlay exclusive. I don't have GAPPS so now I can't get it. I'd assume many privacy conscious people don't have GAPPS. I understand the technical hurtles, but it's too big a pill to swallow.

https://github.com/microg/android_packages_apps_GmsCore https://github.com/mar-v-in/BlankStore

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#63

Post by a3_nm »

newjersey wrote: post #23
artichokeheart wrote: post #17

As long as it still requires Google Play I'll still consider it snake oil.

It uses Google Cloud Messaging. There needs to be a server in between and I believe GCM is free. Consider a situation where Bobs phone is switched off. Alice sends a message and turns off their phone. Now, Bob turns in their phone. How do we get the message Alice sent to Bob?

Give me some open source code that I can run on my own server to manage the notifications for me and for my friends, and allow me to tell the client app on my phone to use it.

That's way better than forcing me to rely on a specific Google server and protocol, which further requires proprietary software on the client.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#64

Post by IshKebab »

Tepix wrote: post #55

Signal is pretty awesome, it's by far the best that we have right now: • state of the art crypto • open source • free as in beer • Available for Android and iOS There are a few minor features that are missing but I can live with that. However, there are also a couple of important shortcomings: • no decentralization • use of the phone number I hope they can be fixed sooner or later.

But the centralisation and use of the phone number is necessary to make it not shit. Anyway you forgot the important features:

* Nice modern UI

* Integrates with SMS

* Supports group chats

* Uses MMS for group chat if not all members have Signal

* Not really buggy or hard to use

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#65

Post by ohthehugemanate »

deckiedan wrote: post #14

One of the reasons I didn't install WhatsApp is the sheer quantity of permissions it wants (on Android). Yes, I realise that this is part of Android's broken security model. But the Signal app also wants access to practically everything. Device & App History, Identity, Calendar, Contact, Location, SMS, Phone, Photos/Media/Files, Camera, Microphone, WiFi Connection info and Device ID and call info. Call me paranoid, b…

It's exactly why marshmallow is changing the permissions model. All of those permissions are necessary if you want an app that:

* can show a contact's name on a message they sent you * can save public keys and access them * can send/receive messages with multimedia * can uniquely identify your device and you as a user (to generate your private key with unique primitives)

Off the top of my head iIdon't know why it asks for calendar permission, but we could inspect the source...

The point is, if you're trying to make a mass market app, you have to offer competitive features... And that requires a lot of permissions.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#66

Post by ohthehugemanate »

Arnt wrote: post #4
corney91 wrote: post #2

I really want to start using TextSecure (or Signal now I guess), but the only thing holding me back is it depends on Google Play Services. I love what they're doing and can understand the decision, but still thinks it sucks a bit that the best option for secure communications is so tied into Google.

What does it send via googleplay other than "please connect to the server now"?

It sends messages through Google's messaging framework. Of course the messages are end to end encrypted, so there's no security risk. It's just really hard to set up a global push messaging framework unless you have the clout of, say, Google.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#67

Post by pidg »

anc84 wrote: post #36
Nexxxeh wrote: post #5

As was mentioned on another HN thread, why the ridiculous name? "Signal" is an already widely used term when talking about mobile communications. With cell phones in particular. "I'm trying to get signal on my phone" or "I'm trying to get Signal on my phone". Great(!)

Only if you talk about it in English which is a fraction of the potential market.

English: signal

Bosnian (Latin): signala

Bulgarian: сигнал

Catalan: senyal

Croatian: signala

Czech: signál

Danish: signal

Dutch: signaal

Estonian: signaali

Finnish: signaali

French: signal

German: Signal

Indonesian: sinyal

Italian: segnale

Latvian: signāls

Lithuanian: signalas

Yucatec Maya: señal

Norwegian: signalet

Querétaro Otomi: señal

Polish: sygnał

Portuguese: sinal

Russian: сигнал

Serbian (Latin): signal

Slovak: signál

Slovenian: signala

Spanish: señal

Swedish: signal

Ukrainian: сигнал

Welsh: signal

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#69

Post by verusfossa »

TheHippo wrote: post #60
verusfossa wrote: post #58

TextSecure used to be on fDroid, then this happened https://f-droid.org/posts/security-notice-textsecure/ . Now it's a GPlay exclusive. I don't have GAPPS so now I can't get it. I'd assume many privacy conscious people don't have GAPPS. I understand the technical hurtles, but it's too big a pill to swallow.

It's open source. So could compile on your own.

I'm pretty sure it requires gapps, although I did see a websockets version so not 100%. Also, keeping your own builds up to date is possible, but a hassle. For anyone else doing that https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=fr.kwiatkowski.A... is an easy way to ensure your apks are up to date without a repo store.

Re: Signal for Android: RedPhone and TextSecure in one app

#70

Post by [deleted] »

Tepix wrote: post #55

Signal is pretty awesome, it's by far the best that we have right now: • state of the art crypto • open source • free as in beer • Available for Android and iOS There are a few minor features that are missing but I can live with that. However, there are also a couple of important shortcomings: • no decentralization • use of the phone number I hope they can be fixed sooner or later.

[deleted]
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