Improving your privacy with “Signal”
There’s been a lot of conversation happening in the security community that's spilled out into the wider news around swapping WhatsApp for Signal. Signal is an app by an open-source project from the Signal Foundation, their mission…to boldly go……no, no, that’s not right. Is to “develop open-source privacy technology that protects free expression and enables secure global communication”. This discussion in the news has since caused WhatsApp to reevaluate what it’s utilising customer data for and what it shares with parent company Facebook.
Signal is freely available from the apple store and the android play store. Does installing the app instantly fix your privacy? It improves it but there are things you can do inside the app to improve your privacy further. Let's explore some of these privacy features.
This article isn’t about the end-to-end encryption, or why it’s better than WhatsApp but rather, how to improve your own privacy inside the signal app. The article isn’t an endorsement either, but instead, guidance on how to increase your own privacy IF you choose to use Signal.
To access your privacy settings choose the three dots at the top, choose settings and then privacy.
From the top Down, these features include:
Screen Lock, this feature on both Android and iOS enables you to enter your biometrics or screen lock features of your phone e.g. Touch ID, FaceID, fingerprint to unlock the app when you launch it
Enable Screen Security (on iOS) or Screen Security (on android) differs in its purpose on iOS and android. On iOS it means app switcher is unable to show data previews. On android, it prevents screenshots being taken, just in case your device is compromised and an app is monitoring your screen to take screenshots.
Incognito Keyboard, I particularly encourage you to enable this feature. It stops the keyboard from sending the content you type to third-party app developers.
Now, keep scrolling down the privacy settings until you get to “Always relay calls” as the description says this feature relays “all calls through the Signal server to avoid revealing your IP address to your contact.” However, enabling will reduce call quality.
Keep scrolling again until you see Registration Lock. On both Android and iOS this neat little feature forces you to enter a pin upon registering the app on a new device, neat if you don’t want others masquerading as you.
Hope this quick tour through some additional privacy settings has been useful, and before you ask, yes, I’m sitting here with my tinfoil hat on.
