Deployed 82nd Airborne unit told to use these encrypted messaging apps on government cell phones - Amytimes (www.armytimes.com)
from possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip to privacy@lemmy.ml on 10 Aug 2024 20:07
https://lemmy.zip/post/20678029

A little old but interesting non the less

#privacy

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Beryl@jlai.lu on 10 Aug 2024 20:27 next collapse

The DoD recommended apps are Signal and Wickr .

possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip on 10 Aug 2024 20:55 next collapse

Surprising isn’t it

Although to be far those have both been around for a while

[deleted] on 11 Aug 2024 05:29 collapse
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hellfire103@lemmy.ca on 10 Aug 2024 21:27 next collapse

Remember, of course, that Wickr has been owned by Amazon since 2021.

techcrunch.com/…/aws-is-buying-encrypted-messagin…

possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip on 11 Aug 2024 05:27 next collapse

That’s probably why it is recommended by the US government. They like things they have control over.

Dymonika@beehaw.org on 11 Aug 2024 06:16 collapse

If they truly didn’t care about this then they would probably mention, like, Matrix or something

refalo@programming.dev on 17 Aug 2024 18:29 collapse

It’s also funded by the CIA. Although Signal is/was also indirectly funded by US Congress via OTF, and some claim that means the CIA is somehow involved too. Of course, computers, the internet and tor also had major US government funding, for what it’s worth.

finickydesert@lemmy.ml on 11 Aug 2024 07:10 next collapse

Why not telegram? I got corrected

possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip on 11 Aug 2024 07:43 next collapse

I hope you are joking

Telegram has strong ties to the US government. It isn’t encrypted by default and has a closed source system.

ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org on 11 Aug 2024 09:54 collapse

Because in most cases it isn’t encrypted, when it is it severely reduces functionality, and it doesn’t even use a crypto alg that’s widely approved of by trusted crypto experts?

refalo@programming.dev on 17 Aug 2024 18:32 collapse

if a hostile party has access to the handset, that encryption isn’t particularly helpful

Things like Molly-FOSS might help better with that, keeping its database locked and encrypted at rest on its own separately from any OS encryption or security. Perhaps GrapheneOS or similar could be beneficial as well.

If you want something with not so many government ties, and maybe more decentralized, there is also SimpleX, Briar and Tox.

possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip on 17 Aug 2024 21:42 collapse

The problem with Molly encryption is that you can’t receive notifications when it is locked. That isn’t a easy problem to solve but it is something to keep in mind.

refalo@programming.dev on 17 Aug 22:08 collapse

True but you can at least have it require biometrics to reopen the app and you can still get notifications then because the db is technically unlocked.