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iMessage gets a major makeover that puts it on equal footing with Signal

Stylized illustration of key.

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images)

iMessage is getting a major makeover that makes it among the two messaging apps most prepared to withstand the coming advent of quantum computing, largely at parity with Signal or arguably incrementally more hardened.

On Wednesday, Apple said messages sent through iMessage will now be protected by two forms of end-to-end encryption (E2EE), whereas before, it had only one. The encryption being added, known as PQ3, is an implementation of a new algorithm called Kyber that, unlike the algorithms iMessage has used until now, can’t be broken with quantum computing. Apple isn’t replacing the older quantum-vulnerable algorithm with PQ3—it's augmenting it. That means, for the encryption to be broken, an attacker will have to crack both.

Making E2EE future safe

The iMessage changes come five months after the Signal Foundation, maker of the Signal Protocol that encrypts messages sent by more than a billion people, updated the open standard so that it, too, is ready for post-quantum computing (PQC). Just like Apple, Signal added Kyber to X3DH, the algorithm it was using previously. Together, they’re known as PQXDH.

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Lilbits: Signal adds support for usernames (instead of phone numbers), Asus launches new AMD and Intel laptops, Firefox makes it easier to find that tab you’re looking for

Secure communication platform Signal offers end-to-end encryption to help ensure that nobody can read your messages without permission. But up until recently the app hasn’t exactly offered anonymity to folks using it to communicate with one another: because your account has always been tied to a phone number. Now the company has announced it will […]

The post Lilbits: Signal adds support for usernames (instead of phone numbers), Asus launches new AMD and Intel laptops, Firefox makes it easier to find that tab you’re looking for appeared first on Liliputing.

Signal to rollout usernames to everyone very soon

In November 2023, Signal started testing usernames for accounts on Signal in the pre-beta version of the instant messaging service’s Android, iOS, and PC applications. Now, the company has announced that it will make the feature available in the stable version of the Signal app for those platforms in the coming weeks.

At the moment, if someone wants to chat with you on Signal, they need to have your mobile number saved on their device, which means that you have to hand out your mobile number to them. With the new feature, you can share your Signal account’s username instead of your mobile number with them to let them connect with you on the platform, which keeps your mobile number private and enhances your privacy.

Signal allows you to create a desired username (unless someone else has already claimed it). You can also change the username whenever you want. However, on an FAQ page, Signal says “You cannot transfer your username to another person or hold it for someone else to claim. Once you change your username, anyone can claim it soon.” Recently, WhatsApp also started testing usernames for accounts on the platform.

The post Signal to rollout usernames to everyone very soon appeared first on SamMobile.

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