Communication

Securing your digital assets requires the ability to communicate with others, in a private and secure way.

logo_signal_bg Software

Signal

Why this software?

  • Open-Source

  • Cross-Platform

  • Fully encrypted, protecting metadata (does not capture to whom you talk, and when - all the others capture these)

  • Advocates for user privacy

logo_signal Install

  • Install on your smartphone.

    • If Android, decline the prompt to set Signal as your default messaging app

Note

External link: https://signal.org/download/

logo_signal Account

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the registration process.

Note

If you already use Virtual Phone Numbers with TextNow or Google Voice, register Signal to that provider, preferring the latter. If not, register with your regular phone number (this will be changed to a Virtual Phone Number in another Tutorial).

logo_signal Configure

Strengthen your Signal encryption

  • On your smartphone, open the Signal app

    • Navigate to Settings > Account > Change your PIN

      • Tap ‘Create alphanumeric PIN

        • In app Bitwarden, create a new entry for Signal.

          • Note the associated registration phone number in this entry.

          • Generate a strong PIN

    • Paste this PIN into app Signal for the new PIN

      • Once saved, you may wish to disable ‘PIN reminders’

Make Disappearing Messages the default

  • On your smartphone, open the Signal app

    • Navigate to Settings > Privacy > Default timer for new chats: change to 1 week or 1 month

      • This can be changed in each chat

Note

If communicating sensitive information

  • Open the chat

  • Change Disappearing Messages to a shorter interval

  • Send the message

  • Revert the change

logo_signal Usage

Warning

If you are sharing your progress through these tutorials in a group chat, do not share sensitive information.

This Tutorial is complete!