Re:Signal's Meredith Whittaker on the Telegram security clash
by palata on Saturday May 25, 2024 @05:16PM
(#40477933)
> What's the threat model of such an odd design choice? Are there any docs on that?
Easy and not odd at all, I would say: if your computer/smartphone is compromised, you're screwed. If an external program can read what appears on the screen, then no matter what kind of encryption you have at rest, they will be able to read the text.
So if it matters to you, you should make sure that your device is not compromised; it cannot be done by Signal. What Signal can guarantee, though, is that it can transmit messages securely between non-compromised devices. And that it does well.
Easy and not odd at all, I would say: if your computer/smartphone is compromised, you're screwed. If an external program can read what appears on the screen, then no matter what kind of encryption you have at rest, they will be able to read the text.
So if it matters to you, you should make sure that your device is not compromised; it cannot be done by Signal. What Signal can guarantee, though, is that it can transmit messages securely between non-compromised devices. And that it does well.