Hacker News with Generative AI: Messaging Apps

Hegseth Set Up Signal on a Computer in His Pentagon Office (nytimes.com)
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had the consumer messaging app Signal set up on a computer in his office at the Pentagon so that he could send and receive instant messages in a space where personal cellphones are not permitted, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
Defense, Security, Messaging Apps, Technology
9 points by jbegley 2 days ago | 0 comments
WhatsApp defends 'optional' AI tool that cannot be turned off (bbc.com)
WhatsApp says its new AI feature embedded in the messaging service is "entirely optional" - despite the fact it cannot be removed from the app.
Artificial Intelligence, Privacy, WhatsApp, Messaging Apps, Technology
31 points by bishopsmother 3 days ago | 7 comments
Hegseth Said to Have Shared Attack Details in Second Signal Chat (nytimes.com)
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared detailed information about forthcoming strikes in Yemen on March 15 in a private Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer, according to four people with knowledge of the chat.
National Security, Leaks, Military, Government, Messaging Apps
33 points by mraniki 5 days ago | 9 comments
Trump calls Signal chat fallout a 'witch hunt',says 'app could be defective' (apnews.com)
President Donald Trump downplayed the Signal chat leak Wednesday as a “witch hunt” and said, without evidence, that the encrypted messaging app “could be defective” as his administration struggles to stem the fallout.
Politics, Social Media, Messaging Apps, Encryption
14 points by croes 29 days ago | 7 comments
SignalGate Is Driving the Most US Downloads of Signal Ever (wired.com)
SignalGate, as it's come to be called, may be the biggest scandal to hit the Trump administration in its first months in power. But it's been great for Signal.
Messaging Apps, Politics, Security, Technology
123 points by bentobean 30 days ago | 86 comments
Use Signal – Surveillance Self-Defense (ssd.eff.org)
Signal is a free and open-source application for Android, iOS, and desktop that employs end-to-end encryption to keep communications safe.
Privacy, Security, Messaging Apps, Open Source
13 points by janandonly 30 days ago | 1 comments
Elon Musk to put his technical experts on the Signals leak (usatoday.com)
WASHINGTON − The Atlantic magazine published Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's messages to a group chat detailing the times and weapons used to strike Houthi targets in Yemen, as the fallout deepened over Trump administration officials using the encrypted chat app Signal to discuss classified war plans.
Security, Politics, Military, Messaging Apps
13 points by rossant 31 days ago | 10 comments
Ask HN: Is Washington Post correct in saying Signal is unsecure? (ycombinator.com)
"the conversation that occurred over an unsecure, commercially available messaging platform."
Security, Privacy, Social Media, Messaging Apps
50 points by killjoywashere 31 days ago | 106 comments
CIA Director Reveals Signal Comes Installed on Agency Computers (theintercept.com)
For years, U.S. officials villainized end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal as the domain of criminals and terrorists and a threat to national security.
National Security, Government Surveillance, Cybersecurity, Messaging Apps, Encryption
117 points by jbegley 31 days ago | 99 comments
Pentagon warned staffers against using Signal before White House chat leak (theguardian.com)
The Pentagon recently warned its employees against using Signal, the encrypted messaging app, due to a technical vulnerability, an NPR report reveals.
Security, Government, Messaging Apps, Privacy
31 points by n1b0m 31 days ago | 0 comments
NSA warned of vulnerabilities in Signal app a month before Houthi strike chat (cbsnews.com)
The National Security Agency sent out an operational security special bulletin to its employees in February 2025 warning them of vulnerabilities in using the encrypted messaging application Signal, according to internal NSA documents obtained by CBS News.
National Security, Cybersecurity, Encryption, Messaging Apps, Government
27 points by jasoncartwright 32 days ago | 5 comments
A Signal Update Fends Off a Phishing Technique Used in Russian Espionage (wired.com)
Google warns that hackers tied to Russia are tricking Ukrainian soldiers with fake QR codes for Signal group invites that let spies steal their messages. Signal has pushed out new safeguards.
Cybersecurity, Espionage, Russia, Ukraine, Messaging Apps
10 points by Teever 32 days ago | 0 comments
A Pentagon-wide email recently went out warning about Signal's vulnerability (npr.org)
A Pentagon-wide advisory went out one week ago warning against using the messaging app Signal, even for unclassified information.
Security, Messaging Apps, Government, Pentagon
12 points by toomuchtodo 32 days ago | 1 comments
Letscage.com – P2P encrypted messaging app (letscage.com)
Messaging Apps, Privacy, Security, Encryption
10 points by m00dy 42 days ago | 1 comments
Briar: Peer to Peer Encrypted Messaging (briarproject.org)
Briar is a messaging app designed for activists, journalists, and anyone else who needs a safe, easy and robust way to communicate.
Privacy, Messaging Apps, Security, Activism
450 points by CobaltFire 43 days ago | 211 comments
Signal no longer cooperating with Ukraine on Russian cyberthreats, official says (therecord.media)
KYIV, Ukraine — The encrypted messaging app Signal has stopped responding to requests from Ukrainian law enforcement regarding Russian cyberthreats, a Ukrainian official claimed, warning that the shift is aiding Moscow’s intelligence efforts.
Cybersecurity, Ukraine, Russia, Messaging Apps
18 points by nickcotter 45 days ago | 4 comments
Delta Chat, decentralized secure messenger (delta.chat)
Delta Chat is a decentralized and secure messenger app
Privacy, Messaging Apps, Open Source, Decentralized Technologies
6 points by ColinWright 48 days ago | 0 comments
Signal is the number-one downloaded app in the Netherlands. But why? (techcrunch.com)
Privacy-focused messaging app Signal has been flying high in the Dutch app stores this past month, often sitting at the top as the most downloaded free app on iOS and Android across all categories, per data from multiple app-tracking platforms such as Sensor Tower.
Mobile Apps, Netherlands, Privacy, Messaging Apps
12 points by impish9208 54 days ago | 6 comments
Signal will withdraw from Sweden if encryption-busting laws take effect (theregister.com)
Signal CEO Meredith Whittaker says her company will withdraw from countries that force messaging providers to allow law enforcement officials to access encrypted user data, as Sweden continues to mull such plans.
Privacy, Encryption, Sweden, Messaging Apps, Law Enforcement
55 points by pseudolus 58 days ago | 18 comments
WhatsApp, Signal Sign letter against UK privacy bill, say they will not comply (2023) (cnet.com)
Signal, WhatsApp and other encrypted chat apps have come together to sign a letter warning of privacy risks associated with the UK's new online safety bill.
Privacy, Messaging Apps, Legislation, UK
77 points by toss1 63 days ago | 18 comments
Multiple Russia-aligned threat actors actively targeting Signal Messenger (cloud.google.com)
Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has observed increasing efforts from several Russia state-aligned threat actors to compromise Signal Messenger accounts used by individuals of interest to Russia's intelligence services.
Cybersecurity, Russia, Messaging Apps, Espionage, Threat Intelligence
836 points by karel-3d 66 days ago | 289 comments
Russian phishing campaigns exploit Signal's device-linking feature (bleepingcomputer.com)
Russian threat actors have been launching phishing campaigns that exploit the legitimate “Linked Devices” feature in the Signal messaging app to gain unauthorized access to accounts of interest.
Cybersecurity, Phishing, Signal, Messaging Apps, Russia
7 points by todsacerdoti 66 days ago | 0 comments
Reviewing the cryptography used by Signal (soatok.blog)
Last year, I urged furries to stop using Telegram because it doesn’t actually provide them with any of the privacy guarantees they think it gives them.
Cryptography, Privacy, Security, Messaging Apps
172 points by todsacerdoti 67 days ago | 151 comments
European Parliament urges lawmakers to use encrypted messages after China hacks (politico.eu)
The European Parliament has asked lawmakers, parliamentary assistants and staff to use Signal, an end-to-end-encrypted messaging app, as an instant messaging tool for work-related communications, according to an internal email seen by POLITICO.
Cybersecurity, Europe, Government, Messaging Apps
4 points by nickslaughter02 71 days ago | 1 comments
A guide to using Signal for government workers (wholelottanothing.org)
As a federal civilian with some technical know-how, I wanted to share with my fellow colleagues the importance of moving to Signal for messages instead of using other tools like iMessage.
Privacy, Security, Messaging Apps, Government
3 points by benwerd 82 days ago | 2 comments
Signal: A Synchronized Start for Linked Devices (signal.org)
With Signal on Desktop and iPad, you can link your primary Android or iOS account with another device, letting you check and respond to messages in both places or conduct video meetings and calls from the comfort of a bigger screen.
Messaging Apps, Cross-Platform, Mobile Devices, Security
11 points by EvanHahn 89 days ago | 1 comments
Signal Messenger is now available on Guardian F-Droid repo (guardianproject.info)
Signal is a messaging app with privacy at its core. It is free and easy to use, with strong end-to-end encryption that keeps your communication completely private.
Messaging Apps, Privacy, Security, Open Source, Android
13 points by vilib 90 days ago | 3 comments
0-click deanonymization attack targeting Signal, Discord, other platforms (github.com)
I'm publishing this writeup and research as a warning, especially for journalists, activists, and hackers, about this type of undetectable attack. Hundreds of applications are vulnerable, including some of the most popular apps in the world: Signal, Discord, Twitter/X, and others. Here's how it works:
Security, Privacy, Zero-Click Attacks, Messaging Apps
1457 points by hackermondev 95 days ago | 437 comments
Don't Use Session (Signal Fork) (soatok.blog)
Last year, I outlined the specific requirements that an app needs to have in order for me to consider it a Signal competitor.
Privacy, Messaging Apps, Open Source
68 points by xena 101 days ago | 12 comments
A decade and a half of instability: The history of Google messaging apps (2021) (arstechnica.com)
Sixteen years after the launch of Google Talk, Google messaging is still a mess.
Google, Messaging Apps, Technology, History
24 points by mooreds 103 days ago | 9 comments