this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2025
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It's called encryption
Packet data has headers that can identify where it's coming from and where it's going to. The contents of the packet can be securely encrypted, but destination is not. So long as you know which IPs Signal's servers use (which is public information), it's trivial to know when a device is sending/receiving messages with Signal.
This is also why something like Tor manages to circumvent packet sniffing, it's impossible to know the actual destination because that's part of the encrypted payload that a different node will decrypt and forward.
Wouldn't you have to have some sort of MITM to be able to inspect that traffic?
TOR is what their already-existing tip tool uses.
You mean like your workplace wifi that you're blowing the whistle at?
That, or a court order telling your ISP or mobile operator to allow the sniffing. Or just the police wanting to snoop your stuff because they can. Not every country cares about individual or human rights, you know
Yes, but tor can be blocked at a firewall level, its packets are easy to identify. "Nations like China, Iran, Belarus, North Korea, and Russia have implemented measures to block or penalize Tor usage"
Would you? Are the headers encrypted?
Does it matter? How would you get access to such information?
If the header isn't encrypted it'd be easy to inspect, and thus easy to determine where it goes, which is why it matters.
Based on your questions, it sounds like you're expecting the network traffic itself to be encrypted, as if there were a VPN. Does signal offer such a feature? My understanding is that the messages themselves are encrypted, but the traffic isn't, but I could be wrong.
Easy for whom? How are you getting access to the traffic info?
You're talking about encryption and signal because you're worried about folks whose network you're connected to being able to invade your privacy, right?
I'd say it's a pretty reasonable suggestion to say we start with those guys. If you don't worry about those guys, who do have access to traffic info, then why bother with encryption?
LOL no? I'd never blow the whistle on my employer from my desk. Even if I did, I would connect to a different network.
I recognize other people are not as conscious as I am of that vulnerability but you asked about me, specifically.
Any number of other people. Primarily the government.
Right, so if the header isn't encrypted, it'd be trivial for them to see who you're sending to, which is why that's important.
You never answered my question - do you think the network connection itself is encrypted? Or just the content of the messages?
How exactly do you think encryption prevents the analysis of seeing when an encrypted message is sent? It feels like you're trying to hand-waive away by saying "encryption means you're good!"
Cyber security is not my thing, but my understanding is that you'd still see network traffic - you just wouldn't know what it says.
I run a cryptography forum
Encryption doesn't hide data sizes unless you take extra steps
The entire point of the article in the OP is that you can send secured messages with The Guardian app. 🤦♂️
Yes, the guardian app allows you to send encrypted messages through their app to their journalists. 100,000 people check the news, one person is whistleblowing. That one person's messaging traffic is mixed in with the regular news data, so it's not possible to tell which of those 100,000 people are the source. Signal messages travel through their servers, so anyone inspecting packets can see who is sending messages through signal, just not what the messages contain. Thats a big red arrow pointing to only people sending encrypted messages. With this implementation, those people are mixed in with everyone else just reading news or even just having the app on their device.
There are many many more people using Signal to yell at their kids to do the dishes or some shit. Not whistleblowing.
Everyone is using encrypted messages...
I'm sorry you can't grasp this concept. I guess study a different subject.