Deleted messages from mobile app does not sync

[shadysamir]

When I delete messages from the mobile app this doesnt get synced with the desktop app. I expected message deletion to be synced just like message sending.

[francwalter]

It is even worse!
All messages on the phone are either not deleted at all, or all messages are saved on the Signal server, since I installed Signal Desktop the first time.
I had installed Signal Desktop on 27 dec. 2015 and on my Android Signal App I have set up to delete all but the last 5 messages.
But when I use Signal Desktop, after a sync all messages since 27. dec are visible, not deleted at all.
Where do they come from?
So I disconnected again Signal Desktop some days ago and connected it again today, et voila! all messages since 27 dec. are back in Signal Desktop.

So either some server is backing them up, or the messages are on the phone, not visible but not deleted. This second possibiltiy would make me very sceptical about Signal!

Till I know the reason and till I can solve this unsecurity I declare Signal for me and all my friends as unsecure.

Frank

[2-4601]

So either some server is backing them up, or the messages are on the phone

or...? They are on your computer.

Delete the extension and the messages that the extension has received will be deleted with it.

Disconnecting the desktop device from the Android client does not delete the messages from Signal Desktop. Deletion would certainly be something I would not expect nor want it to do.

[francwalter]

Do you mean the extension was all the time active despite I had it not opened?
I used it some weeks ago the first time, then I didn't use it anymore. None the less all messages in the meantime are also present. How could that be if the extension (and chrome by the way) was not running?

[s0]

Conceptually it works like this, when someone sends a message to someone else's device, the sender encrypts the message for each of their own devices and for each of the recipient's devices, they then send each of these messages to signal's servers, where they either get sent on to the next device (if it is on and connected), or it waits until the device comes online, where after it can then get all messages it is yet to receive.

To prevent the server from storing copies of your messages to later be delivered to your desktop, you need to unlink your desktop using your phone. At that point, messages will only be delivered to the devices that are still linked.

This does not delete the existing messages on your desktop, they will remain, as @2-4601 pointed out.

[shadysamir]

Meanwhile, I think signal server should be able to sync deleted messages back to all devices.

[2-4601]

@francwalter Yes, when you started Chrome/the extension again you got those messages. However if you did unlink your Desktop from the Android client and you still received messages to Desktop after that then it's a bug.
Otherwise it's a great feature that the servers graciously waste resources and space by queueing my undelivered messages for free (for some period). I would cry if messages were lost just because I didn't open my Signal Desktop for a week.

[francwalter]

@2-4601 Thanks. I deleted all versions of Signal Desktop now. If I set Signal to keep only the last 5 messages, then I don't want them to be saved where ever else. Too much security leak.
I misunderstanded this Signal Desktop, it is not what I need, I use Signal for maximum security. For less secure and easy chat I use WhatsApp Desktop.
Not only my security is reduced but also I compromise all my chat partners, because they also delete immediately and keep only a few messages. I cannot jump in their back like this.

[liliakai]

#643