Itβs like a medal of honor for a privacy preserving app π
this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2024
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Privacy
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Indeed. If whatsapp isn't on the list, then I have all the confirmation I need.
The Russian government has also allegedly begun preparations to block the WhatsApp messaging app.
https://kyivindependent.com/messenger-signal-blocked-in-russia-media-says/
Some US bank got in trouble for using it internally.
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Zucks check didn't clear yet.
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"Banned in 15 dicatorships!"
could matrix.org be as easily blocked, since it's decentralized I'm wondering?
At least it means that Signal is working as intended if they are blocking it, I guess that they don't have back doors.
Being decentralized prevents DNS or IP blocks but not blocks through DPI.
Signal has an option to masquerade it's traffic as regular HTTPS, I don't know if Matrix can do such a thing.
I can answer this! All matrix calls are over https APIs. Ports and addresses are stored in a text file on the base domain or in DNS txt entry.
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Matrix is in fact decentralized but in reality it is not so much, I don't know the number exactly but the majority of users use the matrix.org server
People who live in countries where DNS and IP blocks are common probably use a different server. I've been running my own for over a year and it works like a dream
could matrix.org be as easily blocked, since itβs decentralized Iβm wondering?>
Or SimpleX?
It cannot be easily blocked especially if you use your own homeserver every homeserver replicates the channel and it can operate without the original server! That's why signal and telegram are inherently flawed.
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Signal honored!
Would peer to peer apps be resistant to this sort of thing?
Yes, but you'll have to install them from sources other than what governments deem official. Like F-droid.
Now, if they block p2p traffic that's a different story
I am totally cool with F-droid.
It depends. Somehow it has to discover the peers. Other than that, they could block traffic between residential IP addresses and there goes large part of the P2P network
Russia and Venezuela are huge hotbeds of piracy from populations without access or capital to access most forms of entertainment.
Breaking P2P in this manner would basically be getting rid of the circus part of bread and circuses. Not a good move for an authoritarian.
why telegram is not blocked? makes you think...
WhatsApp supposedly uses Signal protocol.
Why is THAT not blocked? Certainly they wouldnt roll their own encryption and bypass Signal security protocols after having Moxie come in, right? Right????
It is owned by Meta and is proprietary
Telegram is not secure, I guess if you can listen to it better not block it.
I mean it was blocked before Signal was blocked. Russia somewhat famously badly broke their Internet trying to shutdown telegram... and eventually gave up.
I'm guessing Signal finally has enough market share to get the Russian government's attention but not enough market share that they think the web of proxies that kept Telegram online will keep Signal online.
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On April 16, 2018, the Russian government began blocking access to Telegram, an instant messaging service. The blocking led to interruptions in the operation of many third-party services, but practically did not affect the availability of Telegram in Russia. It was officially unblocked on June 19, 2020
Some say it was unblocked because they made a deal with Durov. Another opinion is that too many people and services including officials continued to rely on it even during the time it was blocked. Regardless, Telegram did a huge job on circumventing those blocks.
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Why countries that do not prosecute political dissent bock apps used by political dissenters? /s
matrix stays winning
Matrix isn't secure depending on how you use it. It also doesn't protect individual identities terribly well.
Simplex Chat would be the better option however the main Simplex Chat server and matrix server could end up blocked as well.
Matrix is entirely self-hostable, and you can turn off both federation, and the requirements for any linkable identifiers.
Signal by contrast requires your phone number, isn't self-hostable, and is based in a five-eyes country.
Matrix doesn't protect metadata, which is arguably just as (if not more) important than message data. Signal by contrast does protect metadata and proper implements Perfect Forward Secrecy for all chats. I do think Signal's centralized design and phone number requirements problematic, but Signal still has many merits. Such as its massive user base for a AGPL-only project.
Matrix also implements Perfect Forward Secrecy, and that's been the case for a very long time: https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/162773/are-matrix-messages-encrypted-using-perfect-forward-secrecy
What do you mean by AGPL-only? Synapse is also AGPL. And you can only guarantee that there won't be projects with other licenses if you prevent them from existing.. which is not something to be desired
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plenty of servers for both though
Couldn't they block them too? Monitor the domains people connect to, check if it's a Matrix server and block it if it is.
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