how secure is signal

Signal is considered one of the most secure messaging apps available. It uses advanced end-to-end encryption called the Signal Protocol, which ensures that only the message sender and recipient can read the messages. The encryption generates a new key for every message, making it extremely difficult for anyone, including Signal itself or third parties, to access the content of conversations. Signal is open-source, allowing security experts to review and verify its code for vulnerabilities. It also collects minimal user metadata and does not sell user data. Prominent privacy advocates like Edward Snowden endorse Signal, and the app has received high security ratings from organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Signal prioritizes privacy with features like disappearing messages and has a nonprofit foundation backing its development. However, while Signal offers top-tier encryption, it cannot prevent all security risks such as a hacked or stolen device or user mistakes like sending messages to unintended recipients. Overall, Signal is highly secure for private communications due to its encryption, minimal data retention, open-source transparency, and strong reputation in the privacy community, but users should also consider device security and operational security practices to maximize protection.