Every day we exchange dozens of online messages – both private and professional. It has become such a habit that we don't stop to think about what actually happens to the information we send and who, besides our conversation partner, might have access to it. But what is the reality? Can the apps we use most often be considered fully secure? Find out below!
We know that data protection is important and we don't feel comfortable with the thought that our private messages could fall into the wrong hands. Regardless of whether we're discussing matters of state importance or rather trivialities with friends – most of us have a strong need for privacy in this regard. We use lock codes for our smartphones, we're careful not to click on suspicious links sent by friends for fear of viruses… But do we pay attention to where and how we exchange messages? Below you will find a brief description of the most popular messengers from a security perspective.
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1. Messenger
We use it, our friends use it, and often our parents do too. It is definitely one of the most popular messaging platforms in Poland and worldwide. However, we must remember that unless we take care of it ourselves, Facebook does not encrypt our messages, which means it can easily share them with third parties – for example, law enforcement. We know, of course, that no Viking has nefarious intentions (do you?!), but if you feel uncomfortable with this – there's a way! Facebook recently introduced the "secret conversations" option. We can enable this by tapping the conversation initiation icon in the "messages" panel. Next to the blue field where you enter the name and surname of the person you want to talk to, there is a padlock that you can drag to encrypt your conversation. Encryption is done using end-to-end encryption, which means that only the people who are writing to each other have access to the messages. Not even Facebook, hackers, or law enforcement agencies can intercept them.
2. WhatsApp
This is a very popular application in Poland, often used for sending messages instead of SMS. When using it, we can feel safe – end-to-end encryption is also provided here. WhatsApp provides this as a standard for its users, so it has an advantage over Messenger in this regard. We don't need to remember to enable an additional option – the app is immediately set up to protect our data. However, remember that for encryption to work, all participants in the conversation must have the latest version of the app. If any of the conversants has an older version installed – confidentiality goes out the window, which can mislead us.
3. Wickr
We probably won't find a large number of users of this messenger among our friends, but we quietly hope that as user awareness of messengers grows, this will start to change. This is a secure application – it also has end-to-end encryption and additional privacy safeguards. Importantly, we can also set a time after which our messages will be completely deleted (from 1 second to 6 days). Does this remind you of Snapchat? Yes, but Wickr goes a step further and prevents screenshots of conversations. After attempting to take a screenshot, we will receive a message informing us that this option is blocked.
4. Signal
We're saving the best for last. Anyone who cares about privacy protection should replace all other messengers with this app. It is considered the most secure app of its kind. It is used not only for exchanging messages but also for making phone calls. It prevents third parties from obtaining information about who we talked to or wrote to, and about what. The app was created by a hacker, and many independent experts have confirmed its effectiveness. Even Edward Snowden, the American NSA employee who exposed the PRISM program – which allowed for eavesdropping and access to the conversations of Americans and citizens of other countries, and spying on heads of state, officials, etc. (e.g., Angela Merkel) – used it.
5. Telegram
Telegram is also worth mentioning, as until recently it was listed alongside Signal as one of the most secure applications. The situation turned 180 degrees when it came to light that it contained coding errors – it stores messages on its servers as plain text! The app also lost face when it turned out that a large portion of its users were members of illegal groups.
As you can see, Vikings, your conversations are not always available exclusively to the person you've chosen to talk to. It's therefore worth analyzing whether the apps you use adequately protect your data. This is an important choice – don't just rely on knowing which messengers your friends use, but also take care of the security of the data you transmit. This trend will undoubtedly intensify, and with app updates, further improvements will be made in this regard, but it's worth knowing who is leading the way in this matter.
And you? Which messengers do you use?
