Not going for subtlety 👍: "no messaging app that can protect you if you are wildly careless, or more generally an idiot" 404media.co/when-your-threat-m…

404 Media

2025-03-26 16:13:22

When Your Threat Model Is Being a Moron

One of the most basic tenets of cybersecurity is that you must “consider your threat model” when trying to keep your data and your communications safe, and then take appropriate steps to protect yourself.

This means you need to consider who you are, what you are talking about, and who may want to know that information (potential adversaries) for any given account, conversation, etc. The precautions you want to take to protect yourself if you are a random person messaging your partner about what you want to eat for dinner may be different than those you’d want to take, if, hypothetically, you are the Secretary of Defense of the United States or a National Security Advisor talking to top administration officials about your plans for bombing an apartment building in Yemen.

Things you might consider when doing any sort of communication, if you are thinking about your threat model, would be “what messaging app should I use?”, “Is it end-to-end-encrypted?”, “What device should I use to send the message,” “Do I have two-factor authentication on?”, “What type of two-factor authentication is it (app or SMS based? Hardware based?),” and, crucially, “How widely do I want to share this information?” End-to-end encryption means that a message is encrypted on the device itself before being sent; this means that it is then decrypted at the “endpoint,” meaning that only the intended recipient should be able to read it.

This is all, of course, a very long way of saying that there is no messaging app that can protect you if you are wildly careless, or more generally an idiot. There is no threat modeling that can account for you sending information directly to someone who you do not want to have it, which is exactly what Pete Hegseth, national security advisor Michael Waltz, vice president JD Vance, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and a host of other top administration officials did when texting about their plans to bomb a suspected terrorist’s girlfriend’s apartment building in Yemen.

As Joseph has laid out here, there are design changes that Signal could make that would make it less likely for someone to accidentally message the wrong person or accidentally add them to the wrong group chat. At the moment, it can be difficult to know who someone is after you’ve added them to your contacts, because Signal doesn’t force you to select a profile picture or set nicknames for contacts, and, you can’t always see a person’s username or phone number after you’ve begun chatting with them on Signal.

THAT SAID, top officials in the executive branch should not be using Signal to communicate about military actions at all because the threat model for this sort of communication is so extraordinary and unique (and bound by retention laws) that they should be communicating on existing government channels designed for this exact purpose and which don’t have disappearing message functionality. And even if Signal’s UI could be slightly better or less confusing, if you are sharing bombing plans then you should probably take extra steps to make sure “We are currently clean on OPSEC” is actually true.

Since the first Atlantic story broke, people in my life have asked me if Signal is secure. Of the commercially available, widely-used messaging apps, Signal has extremely good security. But using Signal on whatever device the officials happened to be using makes those devices a target, and sophisticated nation state actors capable of hacking iPhones and other new smartphones are definitely in Pete Hegseth’s and Michael Waltz’s threat model. The truth of the matter is that no phone, no app, no encryption can protect you from yourself if you send the information you’re trying to hide directly to someone you don’t want to have it.

The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans

U.S. national-security leaders included me in a group chat about upcoming military strikes in Yemen. I didn’t think it could be real. Then the bombs started falling.

^{Jeffrey Goldberg (The Atlantic)}

Vivaldi is partnering with Proton VPN to help people break free from Big Tech

Oslo, Norway, March 27th 2025

Proton VPN and Vivaldi browser today announce a groundbreaking new product partnership, directly integrating Proton VPN in the Vivaldi browser. Users can now enjoy a superior online experience, combining Proton’s best-in-class VPN privacy protections with Vivaldi’s power, advanced customization, and uncompromising stance on user control. Starting today, Proton VPN and Vivaldi are setting a new standard for a free, private, and customisable web that challenges the dominance of US Big Tech giants.

Browsers are one of the primary data collection tools of today’s internet. The majority of browsers on the market feed Big Tech’s surveillance business model by collecting highly personal information on users’ habits, preferences and activities online. Unfortunately, as it stands users are left with very little choice but to expose themselves to this data collection. Bringing together Proton VPN and Vivaldi into a single offering gives users a vital escape and a viable alternative to the dominant players in the online browser market.

With this partnership, Proton VPN and Vivaldi provide users with a secure, powerful, and tailored online experience that challenges the status-quo, providing a viable European alternative that helps people retake control of their digital lives. Both companies have long advocated for strong security practices and have been a leading voice in fighting for privacy rights the world over. Today, Proton and Vivaldi are setting a new standard for a free, private, and customisable web.

Consumers around the world are fed up with Big Tech’s data collection, the problem is they haven’t until recently had an alternative. Europe is perfectly placed to offer that alternative and this is what companies like Proton and Vivaldi are building. Together, Proton VPN and Vivaldi are setting a new standard that challenges the dominance of Tech giants, providing a viable European alternative that helps people retake control of their digital lives.
– David Peterson, General Manager of Proton VPN

Proton VPN’s integration with Vivaldi’s user-friendly customisation option ensures an easy activation and seamless protection, keeping users safe online with just a few clicks. Proton VPN is now directly integrated into Vivaldi’s browser, allowing users to access Proton VPN quickly and easily via their Vivaldi account. Upon successful first login, users can use Proton VPN’s free VPN which has no bandwidth limits, with the option to upgrade to a paid version.

Vivaldi is a powerful and fully customizable browser with unique features that puts users in control. Unlike Big Tech browsers that monetize users data, Vivaldi respects users’ privacy with built-in tracker/ad blocker, private and feature-rich browser. Vivaldi’s built-in customization features perfectly complement Proton VPN’s strong privacy and security.

Built by the same team behind Proton Mail, the world’s largest encrypted email service, Proton VPN gives users control over their browsing data and internet footprint. With more than 11,500 servers across 117 countries. Proton VPN is optimised for both performance and privacy. Proton VPN is open-source, using high-speed servers, enforcing a strict no-logs policy with battle-tested anti-censorship features built-in.

While innovation drives technology forward, we believe ethics must guide its path. Proton and Vivaldi demonstrate that powerful products don’t require compromising user privacy. Our partnership represents a principled alternative to big tech, one where your data remains yours, not a commodity to be sold. We believe private and secure browsing isn’t a luxury but a fundamental right for everyone. Together, we’re creating solutions that prioritize users above all else, uphold higher ethical standards, and empower people to break free from tech giants who don’t share these values.
– Tatsuki Tomita, COO and Co-founder at Vivaldi

With this partnership, Proton VPN and Vivaldi provide users with:

• Privacy without compromise: A truly private online experience with no surveillance combining Proton VPN battle-tested security features and strict no-logs policy with Vivaldi’s built-in tracker/ad blocker and private browser.
• Full control over their digital freedom: No data collection, user-first security. Empowering users to browse their way without limitations.
• Seamless and secure browsing: A fast and secure digital experience to gain unrestricted access to global content, block annoying ads, and safeguard users privacy.
• A better alternative: A trustworthy and viable European alternative to Big Tech services that puts people before profits.

With this partnership, Proton VPN and Vivaldi hope to help people all over the world to retake control of their digital life with a private, feature-rich and fully customisable browser combined with a fast and secure VPN.

For more information, please visit Proton VPN’s website or Vivaldi’s website.

About Proton

Proton was started in Switzerland in 2014 by scientists who met at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Our vision is to build an internet where privacy is the default through an ecosystem of services accessible to everyone, everywhere, every day. Our first product, Proton Mail, is now the world’s largest encrypted email service. Subsequent Proton products such as Proton VPN, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive and Proton Pass leverage the same advanced encryption to give users full control over how and with whom their data is shared. Our products are open source, developed by a team of over 500, and supported by an active community in more than 180 countries. Proton’s primary shareholder is the non-profit Proton Foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. Today, Proton is making privacy universally accessible and protects over 100 million accounts, including those of journalists, some of the world’s largest organizations, and ordinary people from all around the world.

Press contact – Proton

Vincent Darricarrere | vincent.darricarrere@proton.ch | +33 6 61 23 57 56

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