2y ago

Apple blocked Beeper Mini’s iMessage Android app, but Beeper will keep pushing

Apple blocked Beeper Mini’s iMessage Android app, but Beeper will keep pushing::Co-founder denies Apple's claims of security and privacy concerns for its users.

Technology @lemmy.world

nave @lemmy.zip

2y ago

Beeper Mini’s iMessage app for Android is broken, possibly by Apple

arstechnica.com /gadgets/2023/12/beeper-minis-imessage-app-for-android-is-broken-possibly-by-apple/

11 comments

Incoming lawsuit in 3... 2....
- It'll be a fun watch if they do.
  Pretty sure Apple doesn't want their dirty laundry on the front page every day.
  Like how iMessage isn't nearly as secure as they claim. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38537444
  And they haven't done anything about these issues in 4 years.
  Or that contrary to their claim that this is protecting their users, forcing them to downgrade to SMS for any conversation off of iOS/OSX means all those messages are sent in the clear, for anyone to read.
  Beeper has also exposed any claim they want to make that iMessage can't be integrated with other platforms.
  It's interesting to watch, for sure.
  
  Yeah if it happens it will be a last ditch move which is why they started with just changing the protocol. I expect though that they'll try the usual corporate lawsuit shenanigans where they start by threatening legal action hoping the threat alone is enough. Then if that doesn't work they'll file a lawsuit but drag the process out using as many tricks as they can come up with to ensure it never goes to trial in the hopes of either bankrupting them or forcing a settlement. If they can convince a judge to issue a temporary order to cease operation that would probably be a home run from their perspective.
  Where the really interesting part starts is if they run out of tricks and it looks like the case will actually go to trial. I expect at that point they would try to drop the lawsuit, but Beeper might not allow them to. That would be really bad for Apple for all the reasons to outlined even if they ultimately win the case.
- that is protected by the DMCA?
  Reverse engineering for the purpose of interoperability is legal under DMCA.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Migicovsky suggested to The Verge and TechCrunch Friday that Beeper's data indicated action on Apple's side to block the service.
Apple "took steps to protect our users by blocking techniques that exploit fake credentials in order to gain access to iMessage," the statement read.
Citing "metadata exposure and enabling unwanted messages, spam, and phishing attacks," Apple stated it would "continue to make updates in the future to protect our users."
"In fact, [Beeper Mini] has increased security and decreased exposure for Apple's users," Migicovsky said, especially compared to standard SMS.
Reddit user moptop and others suggested that Beeper's service used encryption algorithms whose keys were spoofed to look like they came from a Mac Mini running OS X Mountain Lion, perhaps providing Apple a means of pinpointing and block them.
This post was updated at 12:50 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, to reflect restored function to Beeper Cloud (desktop), and Migicovsky's social media response after the outage.
The original article contains 746 words, the summary contains 157 words. Saved 79%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
Beeper is a dumb idea and a privacy nightmare. Don't use a service like that, ever.
HOWEVER, Apple is also full of shit here. If they really cared about the security of their users, they would enable them to use encrypted RCS messages. Instead, they force them to use SMS when texting anyone without an iPhone. It's an outdated and insecure protocol.
- Beeper Mini is no less private than using iMessage on an iPhone.
  It doesn't even require an AppleID let alone require your credentials for one.
  The cloud service that Apple didn't block is the one that requires you to give your Apple credentials to a cloud bridge.
- Beeper and Beeper Mini are two completely different things
  Beeper Mini, the version that does not require any kind of MITM bridge, has been blocked by Apple. Beeper, the version that requires the bridge, still works fine AFAIK
  Wholeheartedly agree with the second paragraph though 👍
- Beeper mini is much more secure than beeper, they don’t even need your password

11 comments