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Encrypted text messaging

Started by Jason, July 17, 2018, 04:26:13 PM

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Jason

If you care about privacy, you should probably be encrypting your SMS communications, too (text messages). Here's a slideshow showing various apps that do this. I'm trying out Signal right now. Of course, you only get the benefit of encryption if both recipients use it. It looks like the EFF recommends Signal or WhatsApp in its Surveillance Self-Defense Tool Guides.
* Zorin OS 17.1 Core and Windows 11 Pro on a Dell Precision 3630 Tower with an
i5-8600 3.1 GHz 6-core processor, dual 22" displays, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB Nvme and a Geforce 1060 6 GB card
* Motorola Edge (2022) phone with Android 13

ssfc72

Good to know, thanks Jason!

I pretty much use the TextPlus app (uses the cellular Data service) to send text messages instead of  the PCMobile (pay as you go) SMS texting service, since it costs a bit for each outgoing text, that I send.

I guess these encrypted text messaging Apps probably are only for SMS texting?
Mint 20.3 on a Dell 14" Inspiron notebook, HP Pavilion X360, 11" k120ca notebook (Linux Lubuntu), Dell 13" XPS notebook computer (MXLinux)
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Jason

I can't speak to all the apps since I haven't used them.

The website for Signal says it is a way around having to pay for SMS/MMS messages, too. It uses your existing phone number though, unlike TextPlus.

Not sure if this means if you can still send/receive a text without a connection so I just sent you a text to your textplus number to see if it works and it looks like you received it since I just saw your reply! Yay. So it will work without a wifi/data connection but it will use it if you have it. And you'll have the upside of the protection of encryption, at least with me :-) I assume this means you have let Signal become the default app for texting, too.

Btw, Signal is also completely Open Source.
* Zorin OS 17.1 Core and Windows 11 Pro on a Dell Precision 3630 Tower with an
i5-8600 3.1 GHz 6-core processor, dual 22" displays, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB Nvme and a Geforce 1060 6 GB card
* Motorola Edge (2022) phone with Android 13

ssfc72

#3
Quote from: Jason Wallwork on July 17, 2018, 05:45:26 PM

Oh, ok good to know.  I just assumed the apps used the SMS cellular servicice, exclusively.

The website for Signal says it is a way around having to pay for SMS/MMS messages, too. It uses your existing phone number though, unlike TextPlus. read the text

Not sure if this means if you can still send/receive a text without a connection so I just sent you a text to your textxtplus number to see if it works and it looks like you received it since I just saw your reply! Yay. So it will work without a wifi/data connection but it will use it if you have it. And you'll have the upside of the protection of encryption, at least with me :-) I assume this means you have let Signal become the default app for texting, too.

Btw, Signal is also completely Open Source.

I don't have Signal on my phone, so if you send me the text message, encrypted, I don't know how I was able to read the text???
Mint 20.3 on a Dell 14" Inspiron notebook, HP Pavilion X360, 11" k120ca notebook (Linux Lubuntu), Dell 13" XPS notebook computer (MXLinux)
Cellphone Samsung A50, Koodo pre paid service

Jason

Both users have to have Signal or the message is sent in plaintext.
* Zorin OS 17.1 Core and Windows 11 Pro on a Dell Precision 3630 Tower with an
i5-8600 3.1 GHz 6-core processor, dual 22" displays, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB Nvme and a Geforce 1060 6 GB card
* Motorola Edge (2022) phone with Android 13