Do not make this dangerous mistake—what to do now.
The secure messaging apps on your phone are dangerous. Not because their own security measures are vulnerable to attack — although that does happen, but because their security is only as good as your behavior. And millions of iPhone and Android users don’t realize that simple mistakes can open your phone to attack.
That was the crux of the NSA’s warning that has now been made public and which has been headlined as a. But it’s not. It’s a user vulnerability. The NSA notification is a warning to change messaging settings. Nothing more.discovering Russia’s GRU was tricking Ukrainian officials into opening access to their Signal accounts, allowing the Russians to listen in. This wasn’t a Signal flaw — the app was working as intended. And it wasn’t limited to Signal.
The two “vulnerabilities” relate to features in both Signal and WhatsApp that make them easier to use. Linked Devices and Group Links. The first enables you to sync and access your secure messaging apps on all your eligible devices. The second provides a simple way for you to invite new members into a group chat by sending them a link, rather than adding them one-by-one from within the group.The Group Link threat only extends to the group itself, and is easily mitigated.
The Linked Devices option is much more dangerous as it can establish a fully sync’d replica of your messaging app on someone else’s device. But again this risk is easily mitigated. In both apps there is a clear settings menu entitled “Linked Devices.” Go there now and unlink any device you don’t 100% recognize as belonging to you. If in doubt, remove. You can always add it back later if you make a mistake.
The NSA’s other messaging advice should be common sense. Set and regularly change your app PIN and enable the screen lock. Do not share contact or status info, certainly not outside your contacts. The DOD agency also recommends keeping phone and app contacts a separate, albeit that’s painful for everyday use.The concept of secure messaging is widely misunderstood. End-to-end encryption is a transmission safeguard. Content is scrambled by your device and unscrambled when it reaches a recipient.
Signal Warning Signal Warning Plan Whatsapp Warning Iphone Warning Android Warning
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Microsoft Warns Windows Users—Change Your Browser As New Attacks UnderwayHere’s why ths threat is so dangerous.
Read more »
Turns out, Google hasn’t forgotten about Android desktop modeAndroid 16 could make your Android device more like Windows and other desktop OSs.
Read more »
Android Circuit: Galaxy S26 Ultra Leaks, Pixel 9 Pro On Sale, Epic’s Free Android GamesThis week’s Android headlines; Pixel 9a launch, Galaxy S26 Ultra upgrade, Pixel 9 Pro sales, Nothing Phone (3a) reviewed, Qualcomm’s new gaming Snapdragon, and more...
Read more »
Android Auto’s latest beta brings full Android game supportAndroid Auto 14.1 is rolling out in beta form, bringing support for Android games including Angry Birds 2 and Candy Crush, along with a new fullscreen mode.
Read more »
FBI Warns iPhone And Android Users—Hang Up Now, Use This CodeSecurity experts, including the FBI, have warned all smartphone users to hang up and create a secret code in the face of ongoing attacks. Here's why.
Read more »
FBI Warns iPhone And Android Users—Hang Up Now, Use This CodeSecurity experts, including the FBI, have warned all smartphone users to hang up and create a secret code in the face of ongoing attacks. Here's why.
Read more »