See what I did there? 😉 Apple sends a “Signal” to law enforcement by fixing a security bug that made it possible for cops to access content from deleted Signal messages.

As discussed in Ars Technica (Apple stops weirdly storing data that let cops spy on Signal chats, available here), users felt blindsided when 404 Media reported that Apple was unexpectedly storing push notifications displaying parts of encrypted messages for up to a month. This occurred even after the message was set to disappear and the app itself was deleted from the device.

That enabled the FBI to extract copies of deleted incoming Signal messages from a suspect’s iPhone in a recent case that we covered here.

Last Wednesday, Apple confirmed that it had fixed a “bug” allowing the FBI to access this content. Affected users concerned about push notifications can update their devices to stop what Apple characterized as “notifications marked for deletion” that “could be unexpectedly retained on the device.”

According to Apple, the push notifications should never have been stored, but a “logging issue” failed to redact data.

On Bluesky, Signal celebrated the update, saying it was “very happy” that Apple did not delay fixing the bug.

“We’re grateful to Apple for the quick action here, and for understanding and acting on the stakes of this kind of issue,” Signal’s post said. “It takes an ecosystem to preserve the fundamental human right to private communication.”

One person’s “bug” is another person’s feature. By closing the loop on storing push notifications, Apple sends a “Signal” to law enforcement that they’re going to have to find another way to get to that data.

So, what do you think? Is it a good thing that Apple fixed their “bug”? Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Image created using DALL-E 3, using the term “robot IT investigator frustrated by a cell phone”.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by my employer, my partners or my clients. eDiscovery Today is made available solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscovery Today should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.