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“Super secure” messaging app leaks everyone's phone number (ericdaigle.ca)

623 points by e_daigle · 220 days ago · 304 comments on HN

Article summary

The article discusses the security vulnerabilities of the Freedom Chat messaging app, which claims to be 'super secure'. Despite its claims, the app leaks users' phone numbers and PINs, making it vulnerable to attacks. The app's security features, such as end-to-end encryption, are also found to be poorly implemented. The article highlights the importance of proper security measures in messaging apps.

Main themes

  • Messaging app security
  • End-to-end encryption
  • Data privacy
  • Secure contact discovery
  • Decentralized messaging

What commenters say

  • Some commenters argue that Signal's encrypted phone number lookup system is a more secure approach to contact discovery.
  • Others believe that requiring phone numbers for account creation is a significant security risk, and that alternative methods should be used.
  • There is disagreement over the effectiveness of Signal's security measures, with some arguing that they are sufficient and others believing that more needs to be done to protect user data.
  • Some commenters express concern over the potential for metadata collection and correlation attacks, even with secure messaging apps like Signal.
  • The use of Intel SGX and remote attestation is seen as a promising approach to secure contact discovery, but also raises questions about trust and verification.
  • The importance of decentralized messaging systems and anonymous chat apps is highlighted as a potential solution to security and privacy concerns.