Privacy issues? Check out the most secure messaging apps of 2023: WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, etc
Digital privacy and data security have become essential in today’s world where much of our daily communication takes place online. We all use messaging apps to chat with friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances and share different types of information, including sensitive information, with them. So it’s important to know whether the platform we choose has a strong focus on privacy and security, or if it’s vulnerable to data theft. Recognizing that need, cybersecurity software company Avast has released a list of the most secure messaging apps of 2023. And we’ve curated the ones you can trust the most. So let us check the list. It includes WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Viber and Google Messages.
But before that, let us understand the basics.
What makes a secure messaging app
In its blog post, Avast explains: “Secure messaging apps use encryption to keep communications private and prevent unauthorized parties from accessing chats and calls your. The most secure messaging apps use end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the sender and recipient of the message can see the message.”
What are the risks of using an insecure messaging app
If you’re using an unencrypted messaging app, your communications could be exposed to the company running the app, advertisers, and hackers. And in the case of a data breach, you may lose all your data to malicious actors and even data may end up online. Your personal information can even be sold online or used for identity theft and other cybercriminals.
With that said, now let’s move on to the most secure messaging apps of 2023.
With over two billion monthly active users, WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps. But it is also one of the safest. WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for both individual chats as well as group messages and ensures that no one but the people in the conversation has access to the data. WhatsApp also offers two steps accuracy and use a limited amount of background data.
However, you should know that WhatsApp is now owned by Meta and it shares information with other Meta companies for targeted advertising purposes. In recent times, it has also come under scrutiny for spam text messages, scam calls, and Spyware attacks.
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Similar to WhatsApp, Telegram also comes with end-to-end encryption and two-step authentication. It also has a stealth mode that adds another layer of protection. However, there are some caveats you should be aware of. Telegram stores all your messages and data securely cloudbut it can still be hacked and your data can be stolen if the server is compromised.
Furthermore, end-to-end encryption is not enabled by default. You only get it in secret chat mode, where Telegram doesn’t store your data on its servers.
Signal
It is considered one of the most secure messages application available. Signal protects your communications with end-to-end text and call encryption. Its encryption protocol is so secure that other top apps like WhatsApp and Facebook messages use it too. It also has a disappearing message mode for added security.
The best part about it is that all the data is stored locally and not on the server, which makes it very safe from data breaches. It is an open source platform, which also means that it undergoes fairly regular security checks by independent users and organizations to help fix all of its security holes.
iMessage
Monopoly Apple platform, iOS, iPadOS, Mac OSand watchOS, iMessage provides end-to-end encryption between users. Data in iMessage can be backed up to Apple’s iCloud cloud storage platform. Although it is a convenient way to transfer and store data, icloud vulnerable to attacks that can compromise your private data.
And even though your messages are encrypted, the phone number and contact list are listed in plain text. Plus, your metadata isn’t encrypted — giving hackers a chance to gain access to your device.
Facebook messages
Facebook Messenger, owned by Meta, is a widely used messaging service with various features such as one-to-one and group messaging, stickers, photos, file transfers, voice and video calls, and the message disappears. Although it provides end-to-end encryption through the secret conversations feature, the feature is not enabled by default. It’s important to note that both the Facebook and Meta apps have privacy and security concerns due to data collection and past data scandals.
Viber
Viber is a feature-rich encrypted messaging application that offers a wide range of functions. Viber offers the convenience of cross-device synchronization, allowing easy access from desktop and mobile devices.
With end-to-end encryption, Viber ensures secure communication. It uses a special color-coded indicator system to describe the level of protection in a chat. Green indicates an encrypted conversation with a trusted contact, gray indicates an encrypted conversation with an unmarked contact, and red indicates an unauthenticated contact.
Google Messages
Google Messages, the default private messaging app on Android phones, uses the enhanced RCS (rich communication service) protocol as the default communication method. This protocol provides enhanced security compared to traditional SMS and enables various features such as payment processing, high-resolution photo and file sharing, location sharing, and video calling.
In addition, Google Messages ensures end-to-end encryption as the default setting, adding an extra layer of security. As an open source technology, it undergoes regular testing to identify and address potential exploitable vulnerabilities.
While you can access Google Messages through a web browser, it’s important to note that the RCS protocol can only be used with other Android devices.
