![]() ![]() It’s also impossible to tell who sent what messages since they aren’t digitally signed. So any method of decryption can’t be used on two separate messages. Essentially, every message is uniquely encrypted. They can then join by entering the chatroom name in the search field of the app.Ĭryptocat uses the Off The Record (OTR) protocol to encrypt its messages. Conversations are created by making up a chatroom name, which you then share with friends – preferably not over a less-secure communication service. Similar services like Xabber or ChatSecure need a decent level of technical knowhow and the patience of someone with a decent level of technical knowhow to get them to work.Ĭryptocat has the retro look and feel of early noughties chat rooms, a concept it's clearly based on. I chose this app because it’s significantly easier to use than its competitors. There’s no sign up process, nothing is stored on your phone and you’re not required to submit any identifying information to use it. The burner phone of instant messaging, Cryptocat lets you drop in and out of group or one-to-one conversations with strangers or friends without a single character recorded. "Removal of location metadata from photos is a good privacy feature, however, any social networking apps which are granted access to the phone’s GPS could re-introduce new location metadata into any uploaded images.” Cryptocat (iPhone, free) Also, unlike Google’s street view, vehicle registration plates and door numbers are not automatically pixelated, which means its down to the user to spot these potential risks," says Newman. "The automatic face detection and pixelation feature is a no-brainer use, but it will only auto-detect people looking directly at the camera. The ease of finding out where a photo was taken shows the importance of removing that identifying data too. The entire photo wiping process took no longer than 10 seconds. I used the app on a recently taken photo and uploaded it to a website that lets you see where pictures have been taken using their geotag data - and the website found nothing. The app itself looks a bit dated, but it works exactly as advertised. ![]() Although, the video function doesn’t work very well if the clip is fast-moving. You can also pixelate automatically detected faces in both video and pictures. ![]() If you want to only remove any identifying data from individual photos, then Obscuracam gives you that option too. Whilst some smartphones offer the ability to remove geotagging for your photos, this is usually hidden in the settings menu and it will apply to all photos. What Obscuracam does is wipe the photo clean of anything identifying before posting it to your desired social network. When you share a picture on Twitter, in other words, you also may be sharing some very private information. Aside from the make and model number of your phone, your exact location when the snap was taken is usually in the photo too. It may or may not surprise some that pictures you take with your smartphone are tagged with identifying data. ![]() Whilst most secure photo apps focus on password protecting your treasured gallery of memories, Obscuracam comes at photo privacy from a different angle. Even so, there are apps available that at least provide an above average level of security for your mobile communications.Īlongside my picks, I asked Sony developer and part-time hacker Russell Newman ( to give his expert opinion on each. But there's also a counter culture of developers making apps that aim to protect you against this snooping: a mini-boom in secure communications.Ĭaveat: the apps that follow claim to be "secure", but actually achieving complete security is a risky business – as the last year has shown. Oh, and let's not forget the ever-present threat of nosy hackers. ![]()
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