this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2023

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Today I got this POP-UP, anyone? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 2 years ago by Harry_h0udini@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

75 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Originally I've download the signal app through playstore, but often it also get updates from Droid-ify(Fdroid client). Today its weird and I got this . Explain to me this.

On the Droid-ify the signal app is provided by: org.thoughtcrimes.securesms

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[–] nottheengineer@feddit.de 270 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (5 children)

~~The package name is correct~~, but signal was never on F-droid.

Do you have a third party repo that might be compromised?

Edit: Package name isn't correct, so that's almost definitely a compromised version. Get rid of it ASAP.

[–] miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml 116 points 2 years ago (1 children)

To add to that:

Always check the projects' website to see the official ways it's distributed, before you just download it from anywhere.

[–] Pantherina@feddit.de 5 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Not applying for signal though, as their apk site is hidden away

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[–] otter@lemmy.ca 67 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

org.thoughtcrimes.securesms

It actually might not be, googling "org.thoughtcrimes.securesms" doesn't get results.

thoughtcrimes vs. thoughtcrime

My question though is how this popped up in droidify, would someone need to manually add some special repo?

[–] nottheengineer@feddit.de 38 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I missed that, thanks for pointing it out. The one without S is the correct one.

But that makes me wonder, how did OP not end up with two signal apps then?

[–] DAT@feddit.de 37 points 2 years ago (1 children)

how did OP not end up with two signal apps then?

by that popup blocking him from installing the wrong one?

[–] nottheengineer@feddit.de 24 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Oh, that's from the installer and not one of those warnings you get after opening apps. Makes sense.

[–] amju_wolf@pawb.social 10 points 2 years ago

Technically it's from "Google Play Protect" that got triggered during the install but yeah.

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[–] Pantherina@feddit.de 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Twinhelix is the only one compiling the app from source without proprietary blobs

[–] geoma@lemmy.ml 17 points 2 years ago

And molly.im

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[–] Skimmer@lemmy.zip 101 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Google is actually right here for once. Signal is not offered on F-Droid, and its package name is org.thoughtcrime.securesms, not org.thoughtcrimes.securesms.

Only official places to download Signal are through the Google Play Store or their website (which self-updates).

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[–] AnokLola@lemm.ee 70 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I recommend checking the official website or the Play Store to ensure that you are downloading the latest and official version of the app.

[–] bob_lemon@feddit.de 41 points 2 years ago (2 children)

https://www.signal.org/download/android/

The official website only links to Google Play for the Android client, even on the fairly "hidden" download page.

[–] Pantherina@feddit.de 47 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

They hide it away, thats the tricky part

https://signal.org/android/apk/

Below the Playstore link

[–] AnokLola@lemm.ee 22 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

If the official website redirects you to the Play Store, then it is safe to download the app from there.

And to be noted, I don't think that the Android app client for Signal is available on F-Droid.

[–] Quereller@lemmy.one 63 points 2 years ago (2 children)

From which (enabled) repository does the app come. Signal is not on F-Droid or Izzydroid.

[–] sylphio@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I don't know about OP, but it is available in https://thecapslock.gitlab.io/fdroid-patched-apps/fdroid/repo and https://calyxos.gitlab.io/calyx-fdroid-repo/fdroid/repo

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[–] kworpy@lemm.ee 54 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

"This app tries to spy on your personal data"

Needless to say Google hates competition

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 53 points 2 years ago

They hate the competition.

[–] yoz@aussie.zone 22 points 2 years ago

Pretty rich coming from google

[–] Catsrules@lemmy.ml 18 points 2 years ago

Google is like your big brother. They will beat the shit out of you. But If anyone else tries to beat you they will kick their ass.

[–] stebo02@sopuli.xyz 18 points 2 years ago

they obviously want all the data to themselves

[–] Rustmilian@lemmy.world 40 points 2 years ago

org.thoughtcrimes.securesms specifically?
I may be wrong but isn't the real one org.thoughtcrime.securesms, not "crimes"?

[–] not_a_king@beehaw.org 34 points 2 years ago (1 children)

what i get from the playstore. i notice thoughtcrime vs thoughtcrimes fyi

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[–] 0x2d@lemmy.ml 31 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

It's a fake copy of Signal

The actual package name is org.thoughtcrime.securesms, not org.thoughtcrimes.securesms

Also Google officially recommends Signal on the Android website last I checked, so I don't see why Play Protect would flag it as malware

edit: attach screenshot of package name

edit 2: fix typo in package name (accidentally typed thoughcrime)

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[–] cl4p_tp@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 2 years ago

I'm on the apk from the signal website. This showed up for me as well.

[–] Sygheil@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

Maybe a botched version and goolag was triggered. On the safe side get rid of it.

Check the repo where it was downloaded.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'll just drop this here

https://molly.im/

[–] nameisnotimportant@lemmy.ml 19 points 2 years ago (5 children)

What is the benefit of using this instead of Signal?

[–] pufferfischerpulver@feddit.de 30 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You get to convince your peers once more to use a different app.

[–] NullGator@lemmy.ca 17 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Uses the signal back end and is cross compatible

[–] affiliate@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago

you don’t have to tell your peers that, you can still convince them to switch anyways

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[–] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 26 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's named after a rave drug.

[–] LufyCZ@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 years ago

Hell yeah

[–] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 years ago

Android tablets as linked devices is why I use it. Something Signal seems to refuse to add.

[–] Lemongrab@lemmy.one 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Fully foss dependencies, degoogled (doesnt require Google Play services), and further hardening to the app. And you can still keep your signal contacts since it is just a fork. Available through Accressant, fdroid, and github.

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[–] Slow@lemmy.today 5 points 2 years ago

Use molly.Im. They have a repository for F-droid.

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