ChatSecure
ChatSecure is a messaging application for iOS which allows OTR and OMEMO encryption for the XMPP protocol. ChatSecure is free and open source software available under the GNU General Public License. ChatSecure also features built-in support for anonymous communication on the Tor network.
Original author(s) | Chris Ballinger |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Chris Ballinger, David Chiles, and contributors |
Initial release | 1.0.2 / February 27, 2012[1] |
Stable release | 5.0.2
/ April 16, 2020[2] |
Repository | https://github.com/chatsecure |
Written in | Objective-C, Swift |
Operating system | iOS |
Size | 73.8 MB[3] |
Available in | 30 languages[3] |
Type | Communication |
License | GNU General Public License v3.0 or later |
Website | chatsecure |
ChatSecure has been used by international individuals[4][5] and governments,[6] businesses,[7] and those spreading jihadi propaganda.[8][9]
History
ChatSecure was originally released in 2011 and was the first iOS application to support OTR messaging. In 2012 ChatSecure formed a partnership with The Guardian Project and the Gibberbot app was rebranded to "ChatSecure Android".[10]
In late 2016, the Android branding partnership was ended,[11][12] with ChatSecure Android becoming 'Zom',[13] and ChatSecure iOS remaining as ChatSecure. ChatSecure iOS remains in active development and is unaffected by this change. Version 4.0 was released on January 17, 2017.[14]
Reception
In November 2014, "ChatSecure + Orbot" received a perfect score on the Electronic Frontier Foundation's "Secure Messaging Scorecard";[15] the combination received points for having communications encrypted in transit, having communications encrypted with keys the provider doesn't have access to (end-to-end encryption), making it possible for users to independently verify their correspondents' identities, having past communications secure if the keys are stolen (forward secrecy), having the code open to independent review (open source), having the security designs well-documented, and having a recent independent security audit.[15]
See also
- Comparison of instant messaging clients
- List of free and open-source iOS applications
References
- "ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS".
- "Releases · ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS". GitHub.
- "ChatSecure Messenger on the App Store". apps.apple.com.
- Glaser, April. "Your Selfies Are Insecure. Here's How to Encrypt Them".
- Dredge, Stuart (11 December 2014). "Worried about leaky chats? Messaging apps are responding with security features" – via The Guardian.
- Paletta, Damian (22 February 2016). "How the U.S. Fights Encryption—and Also Helps Develop It" – via Wall Street Journal.
- Pogue, David. "Your E-mail Password Will Never Be Safe". 316 (1): 24–24. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0117-24. Cite journal requires
|journal=
(help) - "'Dark net' Islamic preachers under intelligence lens".
- "ISIS recommends list of secure-messaging apps amid heated U.S. encryption debate".
- Nathan Freitas (24 October 2013). "ChatSecure v12 Provides Comprehensive Mobile Security and a Whole New Look". GuardianProject.info. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- "The End of ChatSecure Android".
- "ChatSecure 4.0 Launches With Support For Signal-Derivative 'OMEMO' Protocol (Update)". 18 January 2017.
- "zom/Zom-Android".
- "ChatSecure v4.0 - OMEMO and Signal Protocol".
- "Secure Messaging Scorecard". Electronic Frontier Foundation. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2017.