“泄密门”主角Signal引热议，开源加密聊天软件安全吗？

Core Viewpoint - The controversy surrounding the Signal messaging app has intensified following its involvement in a U.S. political leak, raising questions about the security of open-source encrypted communication platforms [3][4]. Group 1: Signal's Background and Features - Signal is an end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging application founded in 2015 by Moxie Marlinspike, gaining popularity for its strong data privacy features [4]. - The app is open-source and allows users to register using only their phone numbers, ensuring that neither the platform nor third parties can read conversations [4][5]. - Signal stores minimal user data, including phone numbers, registration dates, and last login times, and allows for group chats of up to 1,000 participants with messages that can disappear after a set time [5]. Group 2: Recent Events and Implications - The "leak gate" incident involved a sensitive group chat on Signal regarding military operations, which has led to significant political repercussions in the U.S. [3][6]. - Following the incident, there are concerns about the use of Signal by government officials for sensitive communications, as traditional secure communication methods are being bypassed [6]. - The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has issued warnings about vulnerabilities in Signal, indicating that the app is a target for espionage and phishing attacks [6][7]. Group 3: Market Position and User Adoption - Signal has an estimated monthly user base of 40 to 70 million, significantly lower than WhatsApp, which has billions of users [4]. - The app's downloads in the U.S. have increased by 36% compared to the same period in 2024, reflecting a growing interest in privacy-focused communication tools [5].