Signal-desktop: Still getting new messages from contacts to a group even after leaving group chat

[megansquire]

• [x] I have searched open and closed issues for duplicates

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Bug description

Even after leaving a group chat, I continue to see messages from my contacts who are talking in the group chat. I can see the messages in both desktop Signal client and iOS Signal client.

Steps to reproduce

• join a group chat
• type some stuff
• have one of your contacts in that group chat also type some stuff
• (possibly: both of you open the Signal Desktop client?)
• leave the group chat
• have your contact send a new message to the group chat
• see the new message in the group chat that you supposedly left

Actual result: Describe here what happens after you run the steps above (i.e. the buggy behaviour)

You see the new messages in group chat.

Expected result: Describe here what should happen after you run the steps above (i.e. what would be the correct behaviour)

You should not see new messages sent to a group you are no longer in.

Screenshots

Platform info

Operating System: mac, iOS
Browser: n/a

Signal version: Z.Y.Y

Link to debug log

[liliakai]

This is likely not an issue with your desktop client, but rather with your iOS client or the other group member's client.

[liliakai]

To debug this, ideally we would want logs from both your desktop and ios device, and whichever device the sender (purple R) sent those messages from.

[megansquire]

Hi, thanks for responding. I am unwilling to send logs of a private group chat when I'm not 100% sure of what I'm sending or how safe that is. I'm sure at Signal you are concerned with security and your reputation as a security-minded application, so I would imagine that you could come up with some way to test this. But if not, can you at least provide some advice for folks who find themselves in this scenario? How can we stop getting group chat messages that we are not supposed to see?

[liliakai]

I meant debug logs, not logs of the chat content. On Signal Desktop, click the three dots next to "Signal" and select "Submit debug log". You'll have a chance to see and edit exactly what gets sent.

The problem seems to be that someone didn't receive or process your "leave group" message. Your mobile device should be re-transmitting it in response to new messages in that group, but it seems like that isn't happening. We would need to inspect the debug logs to figure out why.

Without knowing the cause of the problem, the only workaround I can suggest is having someone re-add you to the group, and then leaving it again, but again, without more information, I can't say for sure that that will work.

[janvlug]

Maybe this is related: I am using Signal on Android and on the desktop. I have a group where the members according to Signal on Android are different to the members of the group on Signal desktop. Several members who left the group are indeed removed from the Android group, but not from the desktop group. I experienced several issues in this large group, that I tried to describe in more detail at the community forum: https://whispersystems.discoursehosting.net/t/large-groups-tend-to-become-unusable-over-time/952

[sashaperigo]

Hey all! I'm running into this bug now. I am the person who tried to leave a group and is still receiving old messages. I'm on an up to date version of Signal iOS. The person whose messages I'm continuing to receive is on "an original Pixel".

I'm happy to provide debug logs if I can get some instructions on what you need and how to get the logs on iOS and Android.

[michaelkirk-signal]

hey @sashaperigo, just to clarify, this is the Signal-Desktop issue tracker. Are you seeing the messages from the left group on your iOS device and on your Desktop device? Or just on your Desktop device but not on your iOS device?

[sashaperigo]

Good question, and sorry for the misplaced report! I'm seeing the messages on all platforms -- both iOS and Desktop. The sender is only sending them from Android AFAIK.

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@sashaperigo A workaround for this kind of situation is to have one of the people still in the group update the group (change name, avatar, whatever) and that should update the member list on the problematic sender's device. It has an out-of-date member list that still includes you.

[myxie]

Hi all,

I have also had this issue - currently running v1.17.3 on Linux Desktop. For the last week I've been receiving messages having left the group; however, these messages only come from the same person, who is using an Android device. This is only happening on the desktop client; my Android application is not receiving the messages.

I've attached the debug log from today's session, in which new messages from the group chat were loaded on the desktop client.

signal_desktop_debug.log

[scottnonnenberg-signal]

@myxie There's a new ability to block groups in the mobile apps, which would prevent you from receiving these kinds of messages: https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007060072-Block-numbers-or-groups

Also, you're on an old version of Signal Desktop. Please update!

[myxie]

Brilliant - thanks for your reply!

[fabianbur]

I have all my applications updated and the same thing keeps happening to me. Calling to update does not solve an obvious bug.

Exactly the same happens to me in a group of 6 members in which two came out. Is there any hope that they will fix it?
I think it's a major security breach

As an information, I just fixed it by deleting all the data from the Signal Desktop application in Linux Ubuntu 18.04, deleting the chat with the person who was still receiving the messages in the Android app and in Desktop.

It is clear that this is a bug, and serious, synchronization between desktop and mobile clients.

It is a bug that any developer can reproduce.

It is a bug that has been reported several times for years.

It is a bug that has no one assigned to investigate and solve it.

It is a bug that should be given the necessary importance in an application that is interested in security

[fabianbur]

I repeat and my anticipated apologies if they consider it rude. I know that they are projects that work without profit, but this bug is one to which the developers must give importance.

I see that it is labeled as a bug by some developer.

@scottnonnenberg-signal he is a developer and I call him in the most measured way to be interested in this topic.

Thank you