After the Tchap project based on Matrix, the French Prime Minister asks anyone in the gouvernement to use Olvid, the only app validated by the ANSSI, with metadata encryption and no centralised architecture nor contacts discovery. But only the front-ends are open source, not the back-end.
I can understand the WhatsApp part, its a closed source app but it makes no sense to ban an open source app bc of security concerns, just order a study of the source code to validate it
A far better reason not to use WhatsApp is that it is run by Facebook. It was also a primary vector for Pegasus.
So what are the vulnerabilities in Signal? And how is Olvid better?
It’s about digital sovereignty. France (or at least the prime minister) wants the government to control its own infrastructure. IMO, this is good and if they’re serious, it will mean getting rid of Microsoft, Apple, Google and everything else in governmental institutions. Best case would be if they also got rid of all of that stuff in schools to teach the next generation how to use FLOSS stuff.
Seeing as they picked Olvid though… I’m not sure how serious they are about FLOSS. Probably more about keeping the money in France instead of it being siphoned off to some company in the US.
Forgive my ignorance, But I know FOSS, I’ve yet to see FLOSS, is this another acronym for Free Open Source Software or did auto correct mess something up?
