A response to recent reporting in Germany, in service of clarity and accountability:
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First question that pops up:
Why the hell is anyone allowed to pose as something similar as „Signal support“?Second: How is such an organisation allowed to use a system
Like Signal? How does Signal apply to the legal needs of such Orgs? It seems that there are some serious issues here because the told features of Signal stand in contrast to legal needs (audits?), but Im no expert in this topic.@expertenkommision_cyberunfall @signalapp To the first question: signal does not have access to your profile name or profile picture.
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@signalapp
I was under the assumption that there is a one-to-one relationship between any Signal account and a phone number, in difference to e.g. Matrix and Threema. And I somehow believed altering a phone number would not restore user data (unless I restore it from backup, on my device). I'd much appreciate some more information on when/how data and keys are transferred where.@derfopps @signalapp you can transfer your account to a new number, in case you change your phone number and want to retain your chat history and contacts.
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@expertenkommision_cyberunfall @signalapp To the first question: signal does not have access to your profile name or profile picture.
But ut can prevent typical names and combinations without access to the setting
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@signalapp "Sophisticated"...
This is just catastrophic negligence from our arrogant, conservative German government. It really isn't that hard to phish them... Let's hope someone like the FSB won't try. Otherwise, we're so fucking cooked.Thank you @signalapp for making sure that phishing even those people with tech-support fakes will be harder in the future.
@rogue_cells @signalapp For what it's worth, European intelligence agencies already blamed Russia for this current phishing attack
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@ahltorp @davep @jtb @signalapp People have been trying to scam me since the 90s and I've always seen through it or taken a moment to check. Even so, I got had a couple of months ago by a very obvious piece of social engineering. All it takes is being tired, or stressed, or distracted, or all three, and you just go into automatic when asked to do something. I had to change all my passwords, update all my 2FA, change email addresses used for logins, etc.
It can happen to anyone.
Edit: typo
@stagerabbit @ahltorp @davep @signalapp ok maybe, but banks are saying all the time not to give out pin even to bank staff.
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@nuk3 @signalapp I wonder what issue they have with Matrix?! They could just spin up their own sever.
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@ax11 @Chantology @signalapp
I think they have the opportunity, but it won't be noticed by such a large audience.@olliausstuhr @ax11 @signalapp @Chantology Being "used" to technology doesn't always help. Here are two examples of people who should know their stuff getting scammed:
A Sneaky Phish Just Grabbed my Mailchimp Mailing List
You know when you're really jet lagged and really tired and the cogs in your head are just moving that little bit too slow? That's me right now, and the penny has just dropped that a Mailchimp phish has grabbed my credentials, logged into my account and exported the mailing
Troy Hunt (www.troyhunt.com)
If you think you can't be scammed, think again.
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@stagerabbit @ahltorp @davep @signalapp ok maybe, but banks are saying all the time not to give out pin even to bank staff.
@jtb @ahltorp @davep @signalapp And they are saying that because people do. Because it's easy for a con artist to convince some people who may just be vulnerable at that moment to give it to them.
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@rogue_cells @signalapp For what it's worth, European intelligence agencies already blamed Russia for this current phishing attack
@skaphle @signalapp oh wow
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@jtb @ahltorp @davep @signalapp And they are saying that because people do. Because it's easy for a con artist to convince some people who may just be vulnerable at that moment to give it to them.
@stagerabbit @ahltorp @davep @signalapp ok i withdraw my remark as I didn't see the dialog. If it said "verify pin" someone might have done that without thinking
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@stagerabbit @ahltorp @davep @signalapp ok i withdraw my remark as I didn't see the dialog. If it said "verify pin" someone might have done that without thinking
@jtb @stagerabbit @ahltorp @signalapp
Fair enough. Social engineers and phishing scams are by definition very good at this.
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A response to recent reporting in Germany, in service of clarity and accountability:
First, it’s important to be precise when it comes to critical infrastructure like Signal. Signal was not “hacked” — in that our encryption, infrastructure, and the integrity of the app’s code was not compromised. 1/
@signalapp
Dear Signal,
just want to let you know. Those who use Signal, at least those who are not ...naive (not to say stupid/digitalincompetent) are well aware that at least the whole media coverage was rather a campaign against Signal (as a save/independent Messenger).
Here in Germany the government seem to have a certain ...procedure when it comes to digital infrastructure. And yes, it is based on digital incompetence and always following certain lobbyinterests.
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For the time being, please stay vigilant against phishing and account takeover attempts. Remember that no one from Signal Support will ever send you a message request or ask for your registration verification code or Signal PIN. For an added layer of protection, you can enable Registration Lock in your Signal Settings (Account -> Registration Lock). 8/
@signalapp Very well handled! Much appreciated.
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@signalapp could you hinder people to pose as Signal support?
@energisch_ @signalapp with e2ee?
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@olliausstuhr @ax11 @signalapp @Chantology Being "used" to technology doesn't always help. Here are two examples of people who should know their stuff getting scammed:
A Sneaky Phish Just Grabbed my Mailchimp Mailing List
You know when you're really jet lagged and really tired and the cogs in your head are just moving that little bit too slow? That's me right now, and the penny has just dropped that a Mailchimp phish has grabbed my credentials, logged into my account and exported the mailing
Troy Hunt (www.troyhunt.com)
If you think you can't be scammed, think again.
@skaphle @olliausstuhr @signalapp @Chantology
Nice strawman, but I did not claim any immunity against scams. I explicitely said, I just don't had the influence to frame it as a hack, if it happened. -
@ax11 @Chantology @signalapp
I think they have the opportunity, but it won't be noticed by such a large audience.@olliausstuhr @signalapp @Chantology
That's pretty much the same. You can't publically frame something if noone hears you. -
@expertenkommision_cyberunfall @signalapp To the first question: signal does not have access to your profile name or profile picture.
@skaphle
The server doesn't but the app does. Is there any reason to not want to make the app hide messages from accounts with such names?
@expertenkommision_cyberunfall @signalapp -
@davep @signalapp If they handed over verification code and pin then they would have to be seriously daft.
@jtb
*Anyone* can be tricked. If your'e caught at a bad time, distracted, stressed, you *will* fall for it.
@davep @signalapp -
@signalapp I wonder what the motivation behind this attack is. There's no money to be made from stealing Signal accounts, except maybe by extortion.
@jackemled @signalapp Gaining access to classified information from highest government officials, and being able to pose as these officials when contacting their colleagues, feels like something worth your time if you're interested in that sort of information.
