Showing posts with label messages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label messages. Show all posts
Sunday, February 5, 2017
WhatsApp Messages Are Now Encrypted by Default
WhatsApp Messages Are Now Encrypted by Default
The company says that the new feature is already available in the Android version of the Facebook-owned messaging provider, but the developers promised to work on an iOS alternative, as well as on encrypted messaging for group chat and media messages.
As you know, systems using end-to-end encryption are protected from breach due to the fact that the key, which unscrambles communications, is only stored on users’ mobiles. However, before the introduction of this feature, those keys were also stored by servers along with users’ phones, in order to provide Facebook or WhatsApp administrators access to messages.
Security experts point out that TextSecure encryption protocol is especially strong, because it uses a kind of “forward secrecy”. This means that a new key is being created for every message sent. The only other comparable service deployed on such a massive scale is, of course, Apple’s iMessage. However, the latter features one notable weakness: many people allow the system to back up their messages to Apple’s iCloud service, where protection isn’t as perfect.
In the meantime, Open Whisper Systems will continue to develop its other products, including RedPhone for Android, which will allow encrypted voice communications, and iOS Signal applications, which make protected calls and messaging.
The idea of the security developers is to make encryption the default on all devices. They believe that WhatsApp’s new encryption feature may not tempt some users away from TextSecure and Signal to Facebook, particularly if they are concerned about the metadata from their messages. Metadata is information that does not include the content of the communication, but only the additional info: the time and sides of it.
Although the developers didn’t comment on WhatsApp’s use of metadata, and on the topic of whether TextSecure was more secure as it wouldn’t share such data, they did say that TextSecure would always remain an application that is focused first and foremost on simple-to-use private communication.
Still, the suspicions are that handing such strong encryption to hundreds of millions of users may irk law enforcement bodies. As usual, any moves to protect private communication and prevent government from spying on people makes law enforcement bodies to suggest that encryption efforts will only benefit terrorists and other criminals. In respond, security experts argue that serious criminals have their own encryption instruments, which are just hard to use. Large-scale surveillance hurts only innocent Internet users.
Available link for download
Thursday, September 29, 2016
You Can Now Send SMS Messages Via Facebook Messenger
You Can Now Send SMS Messages Via Facebook Messenger
As earlier reported 12 weeks ago while on beta phase, DavidMarcus (Former President at PayPal) took to his Facebook page yesterday to announce that you can now send SMS via Facebook Messenger on Android.
In his words,
A lot of Android texting apps didnt keep up with the evolution of messaging, so we felt like we truly had to make Messenger the best SMS client for Android. As a result, in addition to having a fully integrated app for all your messaging,
youre now able to send voice clips, stickers, and even share your location over SMS on top of standard texting features. You will now also enjoy all the things youve come to love about Messenger for all your messages, including chat heads and more.
Just go to settings, select “SMS”and turn on “Default SMS App.” This will ensure all your SMS conversations appear in Messenger as purple threads, alongside your blue Facebook chats.
Your chat experience just took a new turn... but note that standard SMS fees still apply.
Available link for download
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