Ministries ordered to “replace” their instantaneous messaging with the French software Olvid | EUROtoday

Matignon requested members of the federal government and ministerial workplaces to put in the French Olvid software on their telephones and computer systems “as a replacement for other instant messaging services in order to strengthen the security of exchanges”reported the providers of the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne.

The instruction, formulated in a round revealed by the weekly Pointnotes that “the main consumer instant messaging applications” (WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal) “occupy a growing place in our communications”however “are not devoid of security vulnerabilities”.

Elisabeth Borne thus recommends the deployment “by December 8, 2023 at the latest” from the Olvid app “as a replacement for any other instant messaging deployed outside of a public domain”. “The integration of this solution not only constitutes awareness in terms of cybersecurity, but also a step forward towards greater French sovereignty”she provides.

The solely instantaneous messaging licensed by Anssi

Created in 2019 by two French cybersecurity consultants, Olvid prides itself on being “the most secure instant messaging app in the world”. Its innovation: the elimination of the centralized person listing, supposed to permit most safety of conversations. Messages are end-to-end encrypted, a apply now widespread within the trade, however on Olvid, their metadata (who speaks to whom and when) is as nicely.

Available at no cost on Android, iPhone and laptop, the applying doesn’t require a telephone quantity to work. For most people, including a brand new contact is finished by scanning a QR code. Paid choices can be found to make audio calls, use a number of gadgets or facilitate enterprise use.

Since September 2020, the applying has been the one instantaneous messaging licensed by the National Information Systems Security Agency (Anssi). As the info isn’t saved on the central server, it doesn’t want to supply any specific safety for so-called delicate knowledge, specifies the round.

For safety consultants, the nonetheless restricted use of Olvid doesn’t make it doable to show its reliability when scaling up.