What is the safest messenger?
The main requirement for the messenger is end-to-end encryption (E2ЕE) by default. The technology assumes that the messenger stores encryption keys only on the user’s device, without sending them to the server. The second criterion is a strong encryption protocol. If these conditions are met, no one will be able to access the transferred data.
E2EE supports WhatsApp, Viber and Apple iMessage by default. In a special mode of operation (secret chats), E2EE is available in Telegram, beta versions of Facebook Messenger and Google Allo. Other popular messengers (Microsoft Skype and Google Hangouts) do not encrypt messages.
A sensitive issue in the security of instant messengers is the reliability of the encryption protocol. The only approved E2EE protocol is Signal. It is used by messengers WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Google Allo. Viber implements part of the Signal protocol – the Double Ratchet cryptographic protocol and its own implementation. Viber’s proprietary technology is not audited, so the security of the messenger did not receive such high ratings as WhatsApp. Apple iMessage and Telegram both use their E2EE implementations.
The most secure messenger is considered to be Signal from Open Whisper Systems, which received the highest ratings from security experts. It uses the open source protocol verified by experts (Signal protocol) and works with it by default.
Most modern instant messengers try to take care of secure messaging in one way or another, or at least position themselves that way. In general, the protection (encryption) of traffic transmitted on the Internet is a global trend followed by all major developers.
In my opinion, the following are the safest messengers:
Telegram
The product uses the complex encryption protocol MTProto and promises $ 200,000 to crack it. Previously, it was considered the safest, but recently, more and more criticism has appeared in its direction in terms of security.
Threema
Uses a secure protocol based on elliptic curves for encryption, as well as a mechanism for adding new contacts directly at the meeting (by reading QR codes).
Silent Text (Silent Circle)
Philip Zimmermann, the author of the well-known PGP technology, takes part in its development. An important feature of the messenger is the ability to delete any already sent message. At the same time, not a trace will remain on any device.
Security of messengers has become a trend at the moment. And almost every popular one declares its security. It is impossible to say for sure which one cares about the privacy of correspondence the most – each has its own characteristics. I would highlight Telegram and Threema. Both use end-to-end encryption. Thus, it is impossible to guess the key to gain access to messages on the server. In Telegram, this is only available in “secret chats”, in addition to encryption, there are several quite interesting chips such as self-destructing messages or the inability to forward your correspondence to someone else, even in the form of a screenshot (Telegram warns the interlocutor if you try to take a screenshot on the phone) …
