--- layout: doc title: Signal permalink: /doc/signal/ --- Signal ====== What is [Signal]? [According to Wikipedia:][signal-wikipedia] > Signal is an encrypted instant messaging and voice calling application > for Android and iOS. It uses end-to-end encryption to secure all > communications to other Signal users. Signal can be used to send and receive > encrypted instant messages, group messages, attachments and media messages. > Users can independently verify the identity of their messaging correspondents > by comparing key fingerprints out-of-band. During calls, users can check the > integrity of the data channel by checking if two words match on both ends of > the call. > > Signal is developed by Open Whisper Systems. The clients are published as free > and open-source software under the GPLv3 license. How to install Signal in Qubes ------------------------------ **CAUTION:** Before proceeding, please carefully read [On Digital Signatures and Key Verification][qubes-verifying-signatures]. This website cannot guarantee that any PGP key you download from the Internet is authentic. Always obtain a trusted key fingerprint via other channels, and always check any key you download against your trusted copy of the fingerprint. 1. (Optional)Create a TemplateVM (Debian, 9 is used as an example but feel free to use any more updated by changing the 9 to a 10, etc.) [user@dom0 ~]$ sudo qubes-dom0-update qubes-template-debian-9 2. Open a terminal in Debian 9 (Or your previously chosen template) [user@dom0 ~]$ qvm-run -a debian-9 gnome-terminal 3. Use these commands in your terminal (If you chose a different distribution, such as buster, substitute that for xenial in the 3rd command) (Optional)[user@debian-8 ~]$ sudo apt-get install curl [user@debian-8 ~]$ curl -s -x 127.0.0.1:8082 https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt/keys.asc | sudo apt-key add - [user@debian-8 ~]$ echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial.list [user@debian-8 ~]$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install signal-desktop 5. Shutdown the TemplateVM (substitute your template name if needed) : [user@dom0 ~]$ qvm-shutdown debian-9 6. Create an AppVM based on this TemplateVM 7. With your mouse select the `Q` menu -> `Domain: "AppVM Name"` -> 'AppVM name: Qube Settings' -> OK -> 'Applications' (or `"AppVM Name": VM Settings` -> `Applications`). Select `Signal` from the left `Available` column, move it to the right `Selected` column by clicking the `>` button and then `OK` to apply the changes and close the window. ----- [qubes-verifying-signatures]: /security/verifying-signatures/ [Signal]: https://whispersystems.org/ [signal-wikipedia]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_(software) [shortcut]: https://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-us/articles/216839277-Where-is-Signal-Desktop-on-my-computer- [shortcut-desktop]: /doc/managing-appvm-shortcuts/#tocAnchor-1-1-1 [message]: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/qubes-users/rMMgeR-KLbU/XXOFri26BAAJ [mailing list]: /support/