Signal adds – Signal is rolling out in-app confirmations and warnings to slow phishing and social engineering, including threats impersonating Signal Support.

A surge of phishing and impersonation scams is pushing Signal to add extra friction inside the app, aiming to make it harder for attackers to trick users into handing over access.

Signal has introduced new in-app confirmations and warning messages designed to protect users from phishing and social engineering attempts that can enable fraud.. The goal is straightforward: by forcing users to pause and re-check external requests. the app hopes to buy time for people to evaluate whether a message or “verification” step is legitimate.

The change comes amid recent attacks targeting high-profile accounts, where scammers used bogus “Signal Support” alerts to lure victims. Those incidents were flagged by the FBI and authorities in the Netherlands and Germany, underscoring that the tactics were not isolated or local.

In each case, sources attributed the activity to Russian state-sponsored hackers. The attackers leveraged Signal’s Linked Device feature to gain access to the target account and then reach sensitive data such as chats and the contact list.

The mechanics rely on a familiar social engineering pattern: victims are persuaded to scan a QR code or share one-time codes. presented as part of an account verification process intended to “protect” them from suspicious activity.. Once the threat actor completes the linking step. the linked device can be used to pull in access to the victim’s account data.

Signal says it is now embedding additional safeguards meant to help people recognize fraudulent profiles more quickly. particularly message requests that pose as official Signal activity.. The vendor explained that the updates include both new confirmations and educational messaging. intended to reduce the chance that a user will complete a harmful step under pressure.

Among the updates. Signal will show a “Name not verified” label under contacts that initiate direct message conversations. as well as “No groups in common” to highlight when there is no visible connection between the recipient and the person contacting them.. The intent is to make it harder for attackers to blend in as seemingly normal contacts.

Signal will also change how it handles new requests.. When a request arrives. the app will prompt the user to confirm acceptance while reminding them that Signal will never ask for a registration code. PIN. or recovery key.. That reminder is designed to counter the exact kind of “verification” pressure attackers rely on.

Safety information inside the app is being expanded as well, with richer tips, new entries, and additional detail. Signal is effectively using the interface itself to teach users what red flags to look for before they interact with a suspicious request.

Reminders are also being pushed to users about never responding to chats that pretend to come from Signal Support.. That matters because the most effective scams often work by mimicking authority. and “support” language can encourage rushed decisions—especially when users believe their account is at risk.

Social engineering. Signal notes. continues to be one of the most effective forms of cyberattack because it can bypass many standard defenses.. Even strong security settings can be undermined if a user is convinced to perform an action the system expects to be legitimate. such as linking a device through QR-based steps or sharing one-time codes.

For users. the company is urging continued vigilance: stay on high alert for suspicious messages from unknown contacts. particularly those that push users to scan QR codes or provide verification codes.. The update also reinforces practical account hygiene, including checking settings for linked devices and removing anything that looks unfamiliar.

With these changes. Signal appears to be shifting part of the defense from purely technical protections to user-facing checks at the moment scams typically succeed—right when a victim is deciding whether to trust an unexpected request.. For anyone using encrypted messaging as a primary channel. that “moment of verification” may be where scams are now expected to be deterred first.

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