messaging apps
Which solutions are really safe?
Messaging is now the communication standard – but there are differences in data security.
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Who is reading my chats or listening in on video calls? There are various app providers for encrypted communication.
Telegram – popular, but legally critical
Telegram is one of the most popular messengers globally and in Germany – around 700 million people worldwide use the service regularly. Like WhatsApp, Telegram offers E2EE, but only in its “secret chats”. To start this, users need to tap the pencil icon to create a new message and then select “New Secret Chat”. While Telegram scores highly for its variety of features and large group chats, the fact that encryption isn’t enabled by default is a downside. That, but also the negative headlines about conspiracy theory and right-wing group chats, which are not blocked by Telegram, does not seem to change anything in terms of popularity among users.
Signal – very secure, but with relatively few users
The open-source app Signal uses its own protocol known as the Signal Protocol and features a strict privacy policy and improved end-to-end encryption. With Signal, the E2EE is always enabled and cannot be disabled. A favorite of privacy experts, Signal scores highly for transparency and security. However, the user base of around 50 million users is significantly smaller compared to WhatsApp or Telegram, which can limit communication. And here too, as with the other messengers, a telephone number is required when registering, so it is not 100% anonymous.
Threema – 100% anonymous
The Swiss messenger Threema has privacy and security in focus and offers end-to-end encryption by default, using the open-source encryption called NaCl (Networking and Cryptography library). A plus point is that Threema is the only messenger that doesn’t require a phone number or email address. The disadvantage could be the comparatively small number of users, which can limit communication with contacts – the number is not officially known, but is estimated to be around eleven million, especially in German-speaking countries. And the high level of security comes at the expense of ease of use, for example when changing cell phones, which is complicated by exclusively local backups. As one of the few secure messengers, Threema also costs money: currently 3.99 euros.
iMessage – good solution, but only for Apple users
Apple’s own messaging service uses the so-called “Secure Enclave” system and offers automatic E2EE between Apple devices. This makes iMessage a safe option for Apple users, but leaves Android or other device owners out. Also problematic: The individual security key ends up with Apple through the automatic backups in the iCloud – there it could theoretically be captured by hackers, as has occasionally happened in the past with other private data such as photos and videos.
Wire – small, but fine in terms of data protection
Wire uses the Proteus protocol, an evolution of the Signal protocol, and offers end-to-end encryption for text messages, voice and video calls, images and files. Wire is particularly attractive due to its focus on both private and business use. Many corporations and state organizations use or recommend the messenger to their employees. However, with less than a million users, the app is hardly widespread, which in turn can limit the ability to communicate with your own circle of friends.
Wisper – the future of encrypted messaging?
The announcement of the messenger Wisper also sounds promising in terms of encryption. The makers of the app even promise that the data is safe from the secret services. The reason: A quantum random number generator (QRNG) generates individual security keys for each user. As a result, messages and calls, but also exchanged data, should also be secure in the future – if the underlying quantum technology could be used to crack the encryptions of WhatsApp, Signal and Co. that were previously considered secure. The app is currently only available for corporate customers, private users will have to be patient. However, Wisper is planning a rollout for private users later this year.
Conclusion
Choosing the right messenger depends on your unique needs and priorities. If you want to turn your back on WhatsApp, you can choose between current alternatives such as Signal, Threema or Wire, as well as Apple users for iMessage. Telegram can only be recommended to a limited extent due to its handling of legal issues. And often there is also the question of which network has the most friends and relatives – which will also be a decisive criterion for the success of the future Wisper app. In any case, it is important to find out about the encryption methods of the individual services and to ensure that encryption is activated where it is not already switched on by default.