5 safest apps to send private and secure messages
People
are always looking for better ways to shield their communications from prying
eyes. The `end to-end encryption' technology means that a message is ciphered
before it's sent and then deciphered after it is received. This way, anyone
looking to snoop on intermediary servers won't be able to understand the
message.
erson to adopt into their everyday work. Now developers are figuring out
new ways to make message-sending as easy as possible using this kind of encryption.
TextSecure
TextSecure
is an Android app built for the sole purpose of secure texting. It was created
by a group of developers known as Open Whisper Systems, who build suites of
completely private communication apps and release the code to the world under
an open-source license. TextSecure is OWS's Android solution. It provides
end-toend encryption both over the air and in the actual phone. The app used to
send encrypted messages using SMS standard. Last month, the app decided to nix
SMS and send messages using data. This made it possible for users to send
messages to TextSecure's iOS counterpart, Signal. The app requires users to
have a unique passcode, which can be used to prove that they received the
message.
Signal
Signal is
the iOS app made by t he O p en W h i s p e r S ys t em s pr oje c t . L i ke
TextSecure, it provides complete security to protect users from any external
snooping. It now supports sending and receiving messages from TextSecure, which
runs on Android. The app uses the same encryption technology as its Android
counterpart.
Telegram (secret chats)
Telegram
is a messaging app available on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. It was created
by two brothers who helped launch the huge Russian social network V K (formerly
VKontakte) in 2012. It offers two different types of chat op tions: normal chat
-which has chats stored in the app's cloud, and `secret chat' -which uses
end-to-end encryption. While the normal chat does not follow the most
scrupulous securing processes, if a user sends only secret chats, that person
ought to have their security bases covered.
Silent Text
Silent
Text is the secure messaging app from Silent Circle, one of the better-known
companies building secure communication programs. Most famously, the company
built the supposedly ultra-secure BlackPhone, which purports to be an
NSA-snooping proof mobile device.Silent Text is said to be completely secure,
using the best encryption practices available.But it requires a monthly
subscription, which starts at $9.99 (`629 approx).
Gliph
Gliph is
another messaging app, supposed to be completely secure. Its spin dif fers from
most other apps, however, in that it also facilitates Bitcoin payments. The app
allows users to anonymously send amounts of the digital currency to other Gliph
users. It also has special message features, including the ability to set a
message. expiration time as well as schedule messages
Source | Economic Times | 22 April 2015
Regards
Pralhad Jadhav
Khaitan & Co