Artezio Presents Top 8 Confidential Messengers

Artezio Analytical Department (a member of LANIT Group of companies) conducted a comprehensive testing of popular messengers and published a list of the best programs that can provide a high level of privacy.

iOS and Android apps were evaluated based on 30 criteria including the reliability of data encryption, the level of protection of personal information (two-factor authentication), willingness to disclose personal data, the functionality of correspondence storage systems, and the level of protection against non-standard methods of copying information.

The quality of data encryption and the reliability of information security tools were the key criteria for the final expert assessment. Programs that did not meet the minimum confidentiality requirements were excluded from the list.

Signal, a messenger with high level of privacy, heads up the Top 8 list. It received the best mark for having two-factor authentication, default encryption, high quality encryption protocol, and willingness to disclose personal data. Among its shortcomings: there is no functionality for deleting content and protecting against screenshots.

The Wickr messenger is ranked second. Its rating has been downgraded by experts due to the presence of a paid, more functional version of the program and the lack of data on the disclosure of user information.

Popular Telegram ranks third on the list, ahead of Confide, Viber, Line, WhatsApp and iMessage.

Artezio experts consider Signal the best instant messenger for private correspondence and advise businesses to use Wickr.

The experts believe that Facebook messenger is the most unsafe for confidential correspondence. Some serious drawbacks are: low protection of user information, including the company’s willingness to share user information, the lack of a tool for deleting messages on certain devices.