I have a question for the #DeltaChat crowd: What if someone has a quick access to one of my devices, let's say I forget to lock my phone or laptop and an attacker adds their phone as a secondary device to my profile. Is there any mitigation possible? Could I realize it? Could I disable their access?Cc @delta @ArcaneChat

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[–] 2 points 7 months ago

@lou_de_sel @delta @ArcaneChat In Settings -> Advanced under the Server section, you have the multi-device option. Disable it to prevent syncing with your other devices. If you click on QR Code, you can select Reset QR Code from the menu. Then replace your relays by sending your new QR code/link to your contacts.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    @lou_de_sel @delta @ArcaneChat В #arcanechat не знайшов налаштувань безпеки де можна було б ввести умовний pin для блокування/розблокування самого застосунку.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago*

    Simplest idea I would have for that would be to switch off multi-device mode, change the password and add trusted devices again

    But if they had access to your device, why would they spend time on only Delta, instead of just installing a rootkit? My point being, it's often said that if an attacker had physical access, the game is already lost

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    @lou_de_sel @delta @ArcaneChat Good question! If you use a vpn which doesn't allow LAN connections you could at least make it harder for them to add their device as second device.Difficult to realize they have done this unless they start writing messages on your behalf and you can tell something was written that wasn't you.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago* (1 child)

    hi, with the laptop it is easier to exploit, but in the case of phones it is not so easy: the pin/lock is asked when someone tries to add a second device or create a backup so they can't just snap your profile there

    besides that, to completely block access to certain apps, not only ArcaneChat/DeltaChat, android has a feature called "Private space" where you can protect with your lock/pin apps from being opened or even visible at all

    in case it was in a laptop where it is much easier to steal since even if you could show an unavoidable warning about the profile transfer as discussed at https://support.delta.chat/t/dont-allow-to-delete-device-messages-chat-and-some-of-its-messages/4693 also the program data folder could be just copied, this is a problem of the low security of desktop systems, better never let anyone use your laptop in the same session as your personal session, you could have a guess session/user for such situations

    if the worse happened and you suspect someone took your profile (which you would notice because some messages you didn't read are not notified and appear as already read), there is no safe way out of it, since your identity lives in your pockets in your devices (the encryption identity) and not in a server, if someone gets it the only safe way out is to create a new profile and tell everyone to block the older contact and remove the old contact from all groups etc

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    @lou_de_sel highlight from previous answer about how to notice if someone took your profile (mainly if it is a non-professional spy but just some toxic partner):you would notice because some messages you didn’t read are not notified and appear as already read

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