5 Best Encrypted Messaging Apps

Everyone is after your data. Government surveillance teams are scouting for it, carrier companies want to use it to market you to their advertisers, and cybercriminals will do anything to get their hands on your information. Even the company behind the app may be reading your messages, as was the case with Facebook Messenger, revealed in its own admission following the Cambridge Analytica fiasco.

End-to-end encryption is one of the means you can use to secure your information and make it inaccessible to third parties. Basically, only the sender and recipient of the message can read it – while any third party intercepting it will just see a mass of jumbled data that doesn’t make sense. That way you won’t have to worry about surveillance, the messages being tampered with, the app provider snooping around your private inbox, or your service provider getting hacked and leaking out the sensitive information that is in the messages. Let’s look at the best encrypted messaging apps that you can use to protect yourself. 

Signal

This is an open-source software from Open Whisper Systems (OWS), which has seen widespread adoption from regular internet users to activists protesting out on streets. While your phone number is needed to create the Signal account, the rest of the information – including your profile picture and name, to the messages and video calls, are end-to-end encrypted. Signal Protocol actually powers popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, and the defunct Allo from Google. The conversations can also be set to self-destruct. 

What about those conversations which you’d like to keep? They remain on the device, but Signal itself doesn’t store the data. This means that you’re protected even when law enforcement agencies go knocking on OWS’ doors. The impact of this can be seen in instances like when a subpoena was issued to obtain information from the app, but the government could not get much. OWS complied with the directive, but since there was no message data stored, all that could be provided were the dates and times that accounts were created, and when they last connected to Signal’s servers. 

Additional features that make the app popular include the automatic face blur for the photos taken through the app – which has proved beneficial in protecting the privacy of protesters who are sharing visuals during demonstrations. Being an open-source software, the code can be independently inspected by anyone. 

WhatsApp

With over 2 billion users around the world as of October 2020, WhatsApp is the undisputed king of messaging apps. Since 2016, it has fully implemented end-to-end encryption on the platform, securing the privacy of the users. Your chats are protected from prying government eyes and snooping third-parties. 

Even if WhatsApp were to be breached, the cybercriminals couldn’t read the conversations, thanks to the encryption, plus the fact that the messages are not stored on the app’s servers. Some security flaws are disconcerting though. For instance, if the WhatsApp servers are compromised by sophisticated hackers, or the staff themselves coerced by law enforcement agencies, they can easily add new people into a private group chat. This uninvited member can then access any new messages posted there.

Telegram

Unlike other apps on this list, Telegram’s messages are not end-to-end encrypted by default. Instead, the default encryption is between the cloud server and user. This cloud model enables you to seamlessly sync chats on different devices, but since Telegram has the encryption key, it can read the messages stored on the servers.

However, you can get the end-to-end encryption by using the “Secret Chats” feature. Here are more reasons why this feature stands out: 

  • Message forwarding is disabled. 
  • Once you delete messages on your end, the party on the other end gets ordered to delete them too. 
  • You can set a specific time after which the messages (including videos, photos and files) will self-destruct after the recipient opens or reads them. 
  • Chats are device-specific, and can only be accessed from the device of origin. They aren’t part of the Telegram Cloud. 

You can turn on the “Secret Chats” feature from Telegram’s advanced settings. Once enabled, the chats won’t leave any data on the app’s servers.

Note that Telegram will need basic information like your phone number for you to use the app. You can protect yourself from unauthorised access by enabling 2FA (two-factor authentication). The code is open-source as well.

Viber

Both individual and group chats have been encrypted by default on this cross-platform messaging app, and this extends to voice and video chats. You can also set the chats to self-destruct. This Luxembourg-based app uses similar encryption methods to Signal, but the code is private.

Chats also have colour-coded padlocks to show the encryption and trust level: 

  • Green indicates that you’re connected to a contact you trust, and the chat is encrypted; 
  • Grey shows that the contact isn’t marked as trusted, though the chat is still encrypted; 
  • Red indicates that there is a problem with the authentication key of the contact, like when they are using a different device, or there is a man-in-the-middle attack where a third party tries to access the data.

It’s a nifty feature that adds to the security of the conversations. 

Additional features, from playing games to following public accounts, are key drivers behind the popularity of the app, which clocked 1.17 billion users worldwide by March 2020, according to Statista. Note that Viber stores the metadata – basic information about activity on the app, such as the time and identity of the persons who were communicating. Registration information, including the email and phone number are also stored.

Threema

While the other apps on this list are free, Threema comes at a $2.99 cost. But on the other hand, it doesn’t require your phone number or email to register an account. You get a unique Threema ID, which is particularly beneficial in keeping you anonymous. 

With this open-source and end-to-end encrypted messaging app, you get to protect your voice calls, files, group chats, all through to the status messages. Once you send a message from the app and it’s delivered to the recipient, it is deleted immediately from the app’s Switzerland-based servers.

You could choose to link your email address and/or phone number to the ThreemaID (it’s optional). In this case, only the only checksum values (HMAC-SHA256 hash) of the number or email are sent to the server. Note that a brute force attack can be used to determine the phone number that’s associated with a particular checksum due to the few digit combinations required. You can remove the phone number or address any time you choose.

Final thoughts

The 5 apps on this list are available for both Android and Apple devices. The messages are encrypted across the different platforms and devices. Note that for the apps that allow messages to be backed up to the cloud, the encryption keys will be controlled by the app providers, which will create a security loophole, since the messages could be retrieved were the server or cloud provider hacked or subpoenaed.

An additional app worth mentioning is Apple’s iMessage, but this only offers the end-to-end encryption between iMessage users. Messages that are sent to non-Apple devices are not protected by the encryption. Another app that’s steadily growing its userbase is Wickr. It comes with the default end-to-end encryption, self-destructing messages, and even screenshot detection that notifies the other participant in the conversation that a screenshot has been taken. The Android version of Wickr goes further to disable the screenshots altogether.

How To Check If Someone Is Spying On Your Phone

Is someone tracking my phone? The thought can be unnerving, but unfortunately quite possible with the wide range of spyware apps available today. Worried about someone anonymous having access to all that personal data in your phone? Feel as though Big Brother is watching? Or perhaps you’re worried that you may have inadvertently installed spyware on your phone as you were carrying out your normal browsing. Phones are basically a one-stop-shop for all our personal lives. The text messages held on them, call logs, emails sent out, voicemails, photos – from those snapped out in the park and events, to those of your private intimate moments, videos of your loved ones, your browsing history and social media profiles – that’s a whole lot of data that you don’t want falling into the wrong hands.

The Lure Of Your Personal Data

So why should someone be interested in spying on you? Well, there are different reasons. Perhaps the position you hold in your business makes you a target for people interested in data about the company operations. It can be a private matter, such as a spouse looking to unravel a potential affair. Alternatively, your wealth may draw unscrupulous individuals who want to hack their way into your checking account. There are those whose jobs increase their risks of being targets of spyware – like journalists, government workers, activists, judges and even scientists. When it comes to phone spying, having a strong password is not enough to protect you. There are lots of apps that can be monitoring your phone activity without you noticing. Let’s delve into the different ways that you can tell if there is someone spying on your phone.

Signs To Watch Out For

Spike in data usage

Have you noticed a sudden surge in the amount of data that your device is using – and yet you know that your own phone habits have not changed? Then there is a likelihood that additional software has been installed on the device, which can be spyware. This is typically seen with the spyware apps that are of a low quality, which tend to used loads of data to send the information that they have picked up form your phone. The high quality software apps on the other hand have been developed to used less data, so this step won’t be of much use here. So read on to other signs that you will notice.

Sudden decrease in battery life

Sure, batteries gradually weaken over time. This, coupled with the numerous apps you’re constantly using, means that the rate of the battery getting depleted will slowly increase. However, when you notice sudden drops in battery life, then this is a red flag. Either the device is actually faulty, or there is unwanted software running in the phone that’s consuming loads of resources while it works in the background.

Phone is acting up while in standby mode.

When the phone is in standby mode, common actions that trigger activity include incoming calls and messages, plus the standard notifications. If you notice that the phone screen is randomly lighting up, or there are sudden unexplained noises, then it means that something is not quite right under the hood.

Random reboots

If the phone keeps rebooting without any clear reason, then it could point to someone else having remote access to the device. This is particularly disconcerting because if one has such access and control such that they can remotely reboot your phone, then getting to the data itself will be far much easier. Don’t lose your wits over this one though. It’s a common feature with buggy phones. However, coupled with the other signs on this list, then you should be more cautious.

Unexplained surge in battery temperature

Activities like playing games or heavy usage will definitely increase temperature. This also happens when the phone is charging, and is expected. However, if you notice that the phone gets hotter when lightly using it, or even when it is idle, then could point to tracking software sending data to another location.

Weird noise when calling

Occasionally, you may find yourself in a location with bad reception, in which case you don’t have to worry about this. However, if you keep hearing a beeping sound, white noise, or echoes when calling, it could indicate the presence of spyware on the app.

Delays or difficulty in shutting down the device

When shutting down the phone, it first closes the active applications before going completely off. This also means cancelling any data transmission from the device. If the phone is taking longer than usual for the shutdown especially after you’ve only been using it for light tasks like calling and texting, then there could be an active app that’s simultaneously running in the background, recording and transmitting data. There are cases where the phone actually doesn’t seem to completely shut down to the black screen. This indicates that the device has been compromised. Here, the backlight doesn’t switch off due to the spy software that’s in the background, which is stopping the device from shutting down.

Dealing With Spy Software On Phones

So, what can you do if you suspect there to be spyware in your phone? Let’s break this down into two:

Android Users

First, try and locate the app manually. Navigate to the “Application Management” options in the settings:
  • Open Settings
  • Go to “Additional Settings”
  • Tap “Application Management”
Go through the list of apps, looking for suspicious names. Remember that the developers of the spyware will try to keep things “normal”, to prevent their app from standing out. Just check for unusual apps – especially those that you don’t remember installing.
  • Blocking unverified apps
This is a prevention measure, and can be quickly done by toggling the security settings.
  • Open settings
  • Go to “Additional Settings”
  • Select “Safety and Privacy”
  • Uncheck “Unknown sources” option.
This will prevent apps that are not in Google’s PlayStore from being installed.
  • Check which apps have access to the camera and microphone
These are the tools that can collect huge loads of data. You want to determine which apps have permission to use the camera and microphone. Toggle the access off for apps that you are suspicious of. Note that this does not mean that the apps themselves are malicious. Ask yourself if you use the app to record videos, take pictures or post them online. Do you actually use them to listen to playback audio? If no, then deny the app access.
  • Open settings
  • Go to “Apps and Notifications”
  • Select “Advanced”
  • Click “Permission Manager”
Here you will be able to review different permissions, from access to call logs, to the camera and microphone. Once in the preferred category, click on the apps to switch between “Allow” and “Deny”.
  • Install antivirus software
In addition to sticking to verified apps from Google PlayStore, installing an anti-virus app will give you an extra layer of protection from malware, spyware and other apps that pose a risk to your phone. There are plenty of antivirus software suited to phones, such as Avast Mobile.

iPhone Users

Monitoring the iPhone is pretty hard unless one jailbreaks the phone. Jailbreaking removes the manufacturer restrictions, allowing spyware apps to be installed. Is my iPhone Jailbroken? Are you concerned that someone has bypassed the iOS device security and is installing unwanted apps? One of the ways that you can check this out is looking for the “Cydia” app. It enables one to install software into the jailbroken devices. If you find the app in your iPhone, then that’s a pointer to it already having unwanted software. mSpy – A useful tool that can also be used wrongly This is one of the legal applications in App Store, and it will work on non-jailbroken iPhones. It’s marketed to parents monitoring their kids. However, this does not mean that a business rival, suspicious spouse, or employer cannot install it on your device. They simply need to get access to your iCloud account’s password. Simply changing the password will stop this. Tracking camera and microphone usage The latest privacy features with iPhones operating system monitor the usage of the camera and microphone. For instance, the “recording indicator” feature with the iOS 14 update lets you know whenever any of the apps, including those in the background, are using the camera or microphone. A little orange dot will show up next to the Wi-Fi and cellular data icons. Don’t worry. You don’t have to keep your eyes peeled onto the top right corner of the phone to check if there’s that glowing orange dot. From the Control Centre, you will be able to see which apps in the phone have recently used the microphone or camera. Changing camera and microphone permission settings To do this:
  • Open “Settings”
  • Select “Privacy”
  • Click Camera or Microphone as needed.
You can also go through the app’s privacy policy to determine if the app developer uses the data collected through the camera and microphone. Remember the TikTok backlash? The app was heavily criticised for collecting loads of data, though to be fair the app had actually listed the data collection policies clearly in its privacy notice – you know, those terms that you agree to without reading? Taking some time to go over them can be an eye-opener.

Factory Reset: When All Else Fails

The sure way of ensuring that the spyware is gone without spending much time or energy, is to simply wipe it clean and get a fresh start. The factory data reset will restore the phone to the condition it was when it was first turned on – which you should also do when you get a new phone. Since this route will actually delete everything, you should first backup your important files. – For Android users, this can be found under: Settings> Additional Settings> Backup and reset> Factory Data Reset Here you can choose between erasing all app data and apps, and keep saved data like phones and music; or chose to remove all the phone’s contents entirely. – For iPhone users: Settings> General> Reset> Reset All Settings You can also use iTunes to reset the phone. Simply connect the device to your PC, open iTunes, and select the “Restore iPhone” option.

Update Your Operating System

Spy apps rely on being compatible with the device’s OS to be able to function. Both Google and Apple are heavily invested in rooting out threats to the Android and iOS systems respectively to protect their users – which includes fixing any loopholes that the spy app may have taken advantage of. As such, when you update the phone OS, the spy software may malfunction, thus getting rid of the threat. It’s also strongly recommended that you don’t root your Android device or jailbreak your iPhone. This opens the door for malware to be installed on your phone.

Physical interventions

This is for those who still feel anxious about the camera spontaneously turning on. Physically blocking the hardware until you’re ready to use them will come in handy. For instance, a vinyl sticker can be used to cover the phone’s camera. These are simply peeled off as needed. Emphasis is on vinyl stickers since the regular stickers will leave a sticky residue behind on the camera. You can also opt for hard shell covers that come with sliding mechanisms that cover the camera. For the microphone, there are blockers available which typically use a 3.5-millimetre headphone jack that blocks the port. This will need to be pulled out whenever you want to use the microphone. Remember to secure your phone. It is a personal item, and you shouldn’t allow just anyone to go around snooping in it. Keeping your phone with you, using protectors like the password, fingerprint or pin security will limit the access to your phone’s contents.