Security as a Matter of Concern: What Is the Best Encrypted Messenger?

Where do we spend most of our time? What do we do? We're online, browsing, and texting each other. On business, on personal matters, on whatever matters can be. Are we private while doing this? World experts claim that for 100% No.

If you think that there is no one who is interested in you and your personal info, you are deeply mistaken. There are hundreds of institutions, corporations, cybercriminals whose prime aim is to dig, intercept, thieve and use your data for their purposes for - to feed you with targeted ads, to use your passwords, to read the content of your chats.

That's naturally that with time, people started to develop and use the services, which are to protect your personal data, correspondence and hide the traces of online presence.

Why did we start to use encryption?

To secure the content we share. Usually, messengers use end-to-end encryption. This type of encryption means that only users participating in the dialogue have access to messages. 

The server transferring the data cannot decrypt the content, and even if the central server is hacked, it is protected. However, since the source code of almost all instant messengers is closed, the use of E2EE has to be swollen for granted.

The best solution, in this case, is the combination of modern encryption techniques with the decentralized architecture.

Signal vs. Silent Phone: What is the best encrypted messenger?

It's believed that Signal and Silent Phone are the two most secure messengers for the time being.

Signal

It's an app for instant messages exchange. It uses open cryptographic protocols for strong encryption and secure data transfer. Thus, it uses the Signal Protocol end-to-end encryption algorithm developed by OWS, which is quite popular among other messengers now.

To make sure that it is your interlocutor who is holding the smartphone, and not someone else, the Safety Number option will help. On top of all, the password protection function of the messenger will help to protect the information on your device from prying eyes.

It's free, and there are no ads, and the devs promise that there are no chances for them to appear. The convenience is added thanks to the ability to set it as the default call and SMS app.

Silent Phone

That's a newly introduced messenger of Silent Circle - a company specialized in data protection, created by former Navy SEALS. To become their client, you have to buy their secure smartphone ($800), which shows a really impressive safety level, or to install their app on Android/iOS.

Developers guarantee the transfer of data in their services directly from client to client in encrypted form using the peer-to-peer principle. It is almost impossible to intercept information or decrypt it.

Mentioning the Silent Circle company, I want to emphasize that it has developed its own network. To be able to communicate with each other, customers must be registered in it or have the necessary smartphones and special applications. 

The offered app is free for download, but you have to pay $9,95 for a monthly subscription. That's quite a little for personal freedom and security. And given that the big brother often invades our personal lives, then the very possibility of complicating his task is worth it.

Or you can wait for some activists to create a similar open-source project that all can use.

Which one to call the best encrypted messenger? You tell. Each of them still has its strengths and weak points. But the industry doesn't stay still, new messengers and other solutions for security appear on the market. Our task is not to stop searching for a flawless messenger.