Encryption

Dangerous Signal: This encrypted app is helping ISIS members in India to communicate

A group of terrorist suspects in India said to be inspired by Islamic State wanted to emulate US whistleblower Edward Snowden and use encrypted communication tool Signal to stay in touch, it was revealed in interrogation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Snowden, who is known to have used encrypted communication regularly, relied on the Signal app to communicate with his contacts after he left the US with classified information related to global surveillance programmes of the National Security Agency.

NIA, which is probing the spread of IS in India, has found that the Syria-based handlers used similar encryption technology to communicate, officials said. One IS member in India, Abu Anas, was even given the task of developing a secret communication application on the lines of Signal, they said. IS members have also been known to use another encrypted chat programme called Telegram.