Signal Private Messenger Rolls Out Secure Backups for iPhone

[MacRumors]

Encrypted messaging platform Signal now offers secure backups on iPhone, letting users save and restore messages if they lose access to their device.

There are free and paid versions of Signal's secure backups. The free version lets users store up to 100MB of text messages, including photos, videos, and files from the last 45 days.

The paid version costs $1.99 per month and can back up all text messages, along with up to 100GB of media which can be older than 45 days.

The end-to-end encrypted backups can be accessed using a 64-character recovery key generated by the user's device, but keeping the key safe is crucial – if it's lost, Signal can't help users recover their backups.

Enabling secure backups in the Signal app is straightforward: Open the Settings menu and select Backups, then tap Setup ➝ Enable Backups. After a recovery key is generated, users can choose a free or paid plan.

Secure backups first came to Android in September. Signal says it plans to bring secure backups to its desktop app, and its longer term goal is to allow users to transfer message history between Android, iPhone, and desktop apps.

Article Link: Signal Private Messenger Rolls Out Secure Backups for iPhone

 

[Zmmyt]

Not a fan of subscriptions. But if you only need to sign up for 1 month when i.e. you change phones, I think that is acceptable.

 

[G725]

Not a fan of subscriptions. But if you only need to sign up for 1 month when i.e. you change phones, I think that is acceptable.

You can already easily transfer all your Signal chats from your old phone to your new phone.
The backup is for the case that your old phone is lost or stopped working. In that case you need to have uploaded a backup before.

 

[platinumaqua]

Full encrypted iTunes backup is free, unless that doesn't backup Signal data

 

[maasj]

I love Signal! This development is great news for end user usability. Free backups to iCloud are great… until you don’t want every government on earth spying on you.

For the few remaining people who care about privacy, Signal is where it’s at.

 

[maasj]

Full encrypted iTunes backup is free, unless that doesn't backup Signal data

They don’t. Signal is really choosy about where its data is allowed.

 

[Reverend Benny]

I love Signal! This development is great news for end user usability. Free backups to iCloud are great… until you don’t want every government on earth spying on you.

For the few remaining people who care about privacy, Signal is where it’s at.

Completely agree, and its about time they did offer a backup solution. I'll happily pay to get this.
There is also the option to use other storage options if you don't want to pay for their storage as far as I understand.

That they are looking into moving messages between platforms is another big step forward I am looking forward to.

 

[orbital~debris]

Signal is a great app on iOS & iPad OS, also nice on macOS (I hope they'll at some point soon be able to make the latter native and have feature-parity with the former).

It's pleasant to have a solid Meta-alternative. And charging for a service like this is a nice middle-ground between outright subscriptions and unsustainable freeness.

 

[Good User Name]

I love Signal! This development is great news for end user usability. Free backups to iCloud are great… until you don’t want every government on earth spying on you.

For the few remaining people who care about privacy, Signal is where it’s at.

Wouldn’t you just do an encrypted backup instead?

 

[iMac The Knife]

Nothing is private anymore, but it sure is funny that companies, non-profits, etc. try to make you believe in privacy.

 

[mthomas184]

Nothing is private anymore, but it sure is funny that companies try to make you believe in privacy.

The protocol that Signal uses has been audited and proven to be private and secure.

 

[iMac The Knife]

The protocol that Signal uses has been audited and proven to be private and secure.

You go ahead and believe what "they" tell you.

 

[maasj]

Nothing is private anymore, but it sure is funny that companies try to make you believe in privacy.

Signal isn't run by a company.

 

[maasj]

Wouldn’t you just do an encrypted backup instead?

As stated in the Signal help docs: "An iTunes or iCloud backup does not contain any of your Signal message history."

Source: https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007059752-Backup-and-Restore-Messages

 

[maasj]

You go ahead and believe what "they" tell you.

Tell me that you don't understand how open source software works without telling me that you don't understand how open source software works.

 

[iMac The Knife]

Signal isn't run by a company.

Signal Technology Foundation (a nonprofit) owns Signal Messenger LLC, the LLC itself is legally a company.

 

[mthomas184]

You go ahead and believe what "they" tell you.

You dropped this.

 

[iMac The Knife]

Tell me that you don't understand how open source software works without telling me that you don't understand how open source software works.

Haha, I work in software. Tell you me don't know about data storage without telling me you don't know anything about data storage. They can say they don't use data, they don't view they data, they don't retain the data. They can tell you whatever they want and you'll believe it.

 

[maasj]

Signal Technology Foundation (a nonprofit) owns Signal Messenger LLC, the LLC itself is legally a company.

Did you miss the part where I said "run by" and then you led with the fact that a non-profit foundation is running the project? 🤔

 

[maasj]

Haha, I work in software. Tell you me don't know about data storage without telling me you don't know anything about data storage. They can say they don't use data, they don't view they data, they don't retain the data. They can tell you whatever they want and you'll believe it.

So there's this thing called encryption. It makes secure cloud-based password managers like Bitwarden possible. You should look into it sometime.

 

[iMac The Knife]

Did you miss the part where I said "run by" and then you led with the fact that a non-profit foundation is running the project? 🤔

It is simple really. Signal Messenger LLC "runs" the signal app. It is a company.

 

[iMac The Knife]

So there's this thing called encryption. It makes secure cloud-based password managers like Bitwarden possible. You should look into it sometime.

I work in encryption as well, so I'm familiar with it. I'm not saying I'm an expert by any means, but from my understanding encryption always involves a single key or a key pair. Therefore, someone out there always has the means to decrypt. Hashing is another story, but it is not the same as encryption. Regardless, data is captured when using any app. This data can be had one way or another if someone really wants it, be it the government or otherwise.

 

[maasj]

It is simple really. Signal Messenger LLC "runs" the signal app. It is a company.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

🤷‍♂️

 

[flashpirate]

Not. What. We. Asked. For.

Just let us back up our own data to our own devices, FFS. So now backing up is a subscription too. **** signal.

 

[liquidiq]

Not. What. We. Asked. For.

Just let us back up our own data to our own devices, FFS. So now backing up is a subscription too. **** signal.

Why don't you actually do some research before spouting hot garbage?

From the Signal blog (link):

"The technology that underpins this initial version of secure backups will also serve as the foundation for more secure backup options in the near future. Our future plans include letting you save a secure backup archive to the location of your choosing, alongside features that let you transfer your encrypted message history between Android, iOS, and Desktop devices."