Secure messaging applications get their name by adding additional security on top of what you’d expect to find from normal chat applications. So, what gives secure messages their security? These applications often employ some sort of end-to-end encryption so that data in transit, from the time it leaves one device until it reaches another, is protected.
But what does this actually mean for how the data resides on the device? Some applications will store data in an encrypted state on the device. Some applications may contain databases with everything except the messages unencrypted.
Applications may store encryption keys in the device keychain, in preference files, or even in database files within the application directory.
Secure messaging may also refer to the fact that an application NEVER stores messages (whether that be on a server or on the device). While promotional materials may be rather convincing, making app popularity high, these apps have commonly been shown to store some sort of valuable data.
Some examples of popular secure messaging applications have been included below:
• Signal
• ChatSecure
• LINE
• Viber
• Telegram
• Cyber Dust