Revealing the security problem in modern messengers 

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security problem in modern messengers

In the digital age, instant messaging has become an integral part of our lives. With modern messengers, we can connect with our friends, colleagues, and family within seconds. However, this convenience comes at a cost – security of our personal and sensitive data. As more people use messagers to share confidential information, the need for secure messengers has never been greater. In this blog post, we will explore the security problems with modern messengers, the secure messenger features, and review some of the famous messagers in the market.

Security Problems with Modern Messengers

The biggest security problems with modern messengers is the lack of complete encryption. All over encryption is a type of encryption where messages are only for the sender and the recipient access, that makes it infeasible for anyone else, including the messenger provider, to intercept and read the message. Without complete encryption, messengers can be hacked and intercept, putting the privacy of the users at risk.

Another security issue with modern messengers is the susceptibility to phishing attacks. Phishing attacks are a kind of cyber attack where hackers use fake login pages or links to trick users into revealing their login credentials, which can then be used to access their accounts. With the increasing use of messengers to share confidential information, phishing attacks have become a common occurrence.

Features of a Secure Messenger

To address the security problems with modern messengers, secure messengers should have several key features:

All over Encryption: A secure messenger should have complete encryption for all 

video conferences, messages or calls.

Multi-Level Security System: A multi-level security system ensures that the messenger is encrypted from different types of attacks, including phishing attacks and hacking attempts.

User Authentication: A secure messenger should have user authentication to prevent unauthorized access to the account.

Secure File Transfer: A secure messenger should have secure file transfer capabilities to prevent data interception and ensure data privacy.

Privacy Controls: A secure messenger should have privacy controls that allow users to control who can see their status, profile picture, and other personal information.

Comparison of Secure Messengers

Wickr Me, Threema, Flock, and Signal all are messenger apps that prioritize safety and privacy, while TrueConf is a video conferencing and collaboration platform. While all of these applications have their own strengths and weaknesses, we will compare their drawbacks to TrueConf’s as a messenger app.

TrueConf: TrueConf is a reliable messenger made for businesses and security-attentive organizations. It allows 1000 users to create personal group chats, share doc files, and manage video conferences. The TrueConf secure instant messenger includes features such as message editing, forwarding, and tagging colleagues. Addtonally it includes user group navigation with address book for easy contact searching, synchronized message & call history across numerous devices. TrueConf is a private-hosted system that provides protected space for secure virtual transmission online and offline.

Wickr Me: One of the main demerits of Wickr Me is no default public key encryption, and you have to enable it personally. Additionally, the app does not support voice or video calls, which can be a significant limitation for some users.

Threema: While Threema offers public key encryption and supports voice and video calls, one of its main drawbacks is that it is not an open-source application, which can be a concern for users who prioritize transparency and security.

Flock: Flock is primarily a team collaboration app offering features like file sharing and project management. While it offers public key encryption for messages, it is not a dedicated messaging app and may not be the best choice for users who primarily need a secure messaging solution.

Signal: Signal is widely regarded as one of top secure messagers available, with end-to-end encryption enabled by default for all conversations. However, one of its drawbacks is that it requires a phone number to sign up wit this app, which can be a privacy concern for some users.

Advantage of TrueConf over other messengers 

Compared to these messenger apps, TrueConf offers a few advantages as a modern messenger:

Unlimited HD Video Calls: TrueConf allows unlimited high-quality video calls with no time limits. Video calls are one-on-one sessions that allow for collaboration between participants, and TrueConf offers UltraHD and FullHD video quality, ensuring a secure and enjoyable experience for users, which makes it a more comprehensive solution for remote teams and businesses.

Self-hosted and affordable: With TrueConf, you don’t have to share your corporate data with cloud services or anyone else. Run the entire meeting platform on-premises and inside your network.

Multi-level security: The platform includes encryption of media streams and local storage of personal data, as it is deployed within the corporate network. All signaling data and client-server connections secured with the latest version of TLS 1.3. There is also additional on-demand end-to-end encryption using VPN gateways.

Overall, while each of these messengers has its own strengths and weaknesses, TrueConf’s additional features as a video conferencing and collaboration platform, as well as strong security focus, may make it a more appealing choice for users who prioritize privacy and data protection.

Conclusion

The modern messengers pose a significant threat to the privacy and security of their users. A secure messenger should have public key encryption, multi-level security system, user authentication, secure file transfer, and privacy controls to ensure the confidentiality of the data shared on the platform. TrueConf, along with other secure messengers, provides these features and ensures the protection of its users’ data. As users, it is our responsibility to choose secure messengers that prioritize data privacy and security.