Jurisdiction Is Nearly Irrelevant to the Security of Encrypted Messaging Apps
10 months ago
- #encryption
- #security
- #cryptography
- Properly built cryptography means the hosting country of ciphertext doesn't matter for security.
- Key management, transparency logs (Key Transparency, Binary Transparency), and reproducible builds are essential for secure messaging apps.
- End-to-end encryption protocols like MLS and Signal Protocol must be implemented without tolerating plaintext transmission.
- Independent third-party monitors are crucial for verifying transparency logs and ensuring security.
- Jurisdiction is a minor concern if cryptography is correctly implemented, as metadata is the only accessible data.
- Government backdoor attempts can be detected through binary transparency and reproducible builds.
- Signal is close to being a proper implementation but lacks key transparency and third-party build verification.
- Data sovereignty is a preference, not a cryptographic security consideration.