Bring back the encrypted backup!

[schmitmd]

I loved the fact that I could export an encrypted backup of my texts. Version 2.1.0 took this functionality away, please put it back ASAP or make a disclaimer on why it's gone.

[mcginty]

Hey @schmitmd, it's coming back. The reason we removed it temporarily is because it was giving falsely encouraging messages of successful backups but many people were unable to import. Hoping to get a fixed encrypted export out soon.

[schmitmd]

Wow, that was quick. Looking forward, I'll keep my eyes peeled.

5 stars on the play store for responding to this almost before I was finished making the issue and providing an open-source solution for keeping private communications private. Thanks!

[patcon]

Rockin. Thanks! Was going through the prep to root my device, but I'll wait a few days :)

[dolanor]

I was pretty disappointed to see disappear too.

Is it sure that that feature didn't work ?
I tried it tonight with the previous version of TextSecure (2.0.8). I backed up the data, then removed the textsecure app, reinstalled it and imported the encrypted backup. Everything is fine.
But there is an issue !
The conversations shows : error decrypting message in place of every message.
You need to let TextSecure work for a few minutes, and then the error decrypting message are replaced by the real message. (I have 9000 messages with mms pictures and stuff, and everything is fine).

So for me, it's more of message to display to user to wait until TextSecure decrypt all the message one after another than a real bug with the backup.

[patcon]

@dolanor Not a maintainer, but I think the logic was that sporadic failures that weren't yet resolved were worth removing the feature, particularly with something as important as backup. So it may work fine for some, like yourself, while still being responsible to remove :)

[dolanor]

I didn't check all the issues about the backup. But I was certain it wasn't working when I saw the error decrypting message, whereas it was good. I just needed patience, and a message would have been a help to wait.

[patcon]

Ah, good point.

[benmayne]

Can I assume that without this, the only way to migrate phones is to start from scratch?

[perguth]

@benmayne: You can still export plaintext.

[hacklschorsch]

I just lost 6 months of messages and photos because of this. I was not aware that textsecure isn't doing backups automatically anymore. If I had been, I would have used some other tool to backup the complete phone memory or something.

Ref #1631.

[patcon]

@hacklschorsch as far as I understand, this is not about automated backups. I wasn't aware that this was ever offered tbh. If it did exists and went away, I'd say open a new issue to make sure it gets the discussion it deserves :)

[hacklschorsch]

Right, @patcon, thanks for opening the new issue. I believe I was under the impression that encrypted backups would be done automatically because there was no button to do it manually. Replacing the button with a disabled one instead of removing it completely might have been easier to understand... well whatever, thanks!

[squisher]

Any ETA on this? This is pretty horrible, I wanted to switch android versions but don't want to loose my MMS. Now it seems I'm stuck!

[perguth]

I am stuck too because of all the images and my OS is falling apart :-(

[tinloaf]

@pguth @squisher You should be able to migrate using Helium Backup: Unregister from push, make a helium backup, transfer to the new phone, restore the backup, register for push.

[perguth]

@tinloaf Thanks, that worked quite conveniently!

[ISeeBinary]

Any news on the release date of this?

[Diapolo]

I also think this is missing currently, but use Titanium Backup, which also does the job ;).

[dolanor]

I also used Helium Backup, and it worked well (just a little bit of a pain to use with the adb devices and stuff)

[tjnicholas]

Would it be simpler/quicker to just replace the feature with a key export/import function?

[akonyer]

It's brutal not being able to transfer this to a new device easily.

[smarek]

Hi, any progress on this please?

[A-xis]

Nothing ?
Can you PLEASE, add a notice about this disabled functionnality somewhere?

[landry314]

i dont care about my texts but my keys i would like a clean and secure way to migrate to a new phone when i upgrade. does the export plaintext option export private keys in plaintext? i would be shocked. does it have anything to do with the keys or just the texts? should i just move the files in /data/data manually to export my keys? are they even stored there?

[phipolis]

I agree with @landry314 that exporting the private keys would be an excellent stopgap until encrypted backups can be restored. Only power users are going to use 3rd-party apps to backup their TS configuration. For everyone else, a new phone means a new key. This really bothers me, it blows the TOFU model out of the water. Users get used to clicking through key change alerts accompanied by "it's fine, I got a new phone" messages. Uh-huh.

IMO it's bad enough that users have to know about and remember to use the export function in settings to keep key continuity. Having no option there and needing to use (and know about) 3rd-party apps is even worse. As @pguth's #1876 suggests, Flock is perfectly positioned to provide seamless device-independent backups of the key material. Backups that don't require the user to remember, nor even to have a concept of key continuity. This to me seems to align best with the OWS imperative of simplicity.
[edit: tired]

[landry314]

absolutely, i got a new phone today and had to text everyone to end their sessions and start a new one to make new key exchanges... which was unnecessary work.

also, at any time today a man in the middle attack could have occurred and now any key verification i have done in the past is null and void because i have all new keys.

all private/public key encryption apps should have a clean export private keys option for migration or reflashing of phones.

right? :-)

[2-4601]

In #5931 (comment) moxie wrote:

We do not use GitHub for discussion or Q&A. Please do not open issues here just to ask questions or bump topics. If an issue is locked, it's generally because there has been too much discussion or people have been too verbose.

For this issue, the work to be done is very straightforward:

1. Make plaintext backup complete. It should export media, groups, preferences, block lists, etc... in addition to just text messages. All in a format compatible with SMS Backup & Restore.

2. Wrap the now complete plaintext backup in an encrypted stream.

3. Include the identity key in the encrypted stream.

I wish I had enough time to discuss at length why this is the only approach that will work for us, but sadly I don't have the time to do that for every issue. I also wish I had enough time to do this work, along with all of the other open issues here, but I have to make choices. If this is an issue that's important to you, I think step 1 would make a great PR. Please see the mailing list or the online forums for further discussion, thanks.

[2-4601]

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