Cyber-security is a concerning matter in our days, since we tend to post all our personal information online. There has been recorded an increase in cyber-attacks. Furthermore, some social media platforms such as Telegram have been used by terrorists in the recent attack in Paris. As a result, people are trying to find other messaging apps to communicate instead of the classic ones like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Open Whisper Systems has just announced that Edward Snowden’s favorite messaging app is coming to Desktops.

An expert who worked on the development of the application, Moxie Marlinspike, stated that the app named Signal will be available for Google Chrome as an extension. Signal will be able to sync the messages between the Android devices and the Desktops, and it links to your phone number. It is not available yet for Apple phones, but there are plans towards enabling a compatibility with these as well. The app also doesn’t support voice yet.

Signal is free to use for everyone, and has received very positive reviews regarding encryption. Edward Snowden himself has also praised it and declared that it is his favorite app for messaging. His past revelations have put the issue of surveillance in the spotlight and many people have growing concerns about their privacy. As a result, many new platforms and apps that promise safety from the prying eyes of either third party companies, governments or criminal organizations have appeared on the market.

It is important to mention that such apps that encrypt information are very difficult to be created. However, this is not the first messaging app which can encrypt messages and calls from Open Whisper Systems. Its predecessors, TextSecure and Redphone have both been transformed into Signal.

The mobile version of the application uses a special type of encryption for photos, messaging and voice calls: end-to-end. Not even the developer can access the calls or see the messages’ plain text, and that says a lot. Open Whisper Systems can only inspect the code of Signal, since it is open source. This technology also has the capability to identify potential software vendors which would make slight changes to the app in order to aid the surveillance programs of governments.

As Edward Snowden’s favorite messaging app is coming to Desktops, we can sleep a bit more relaxed knowing that our private lives will stay private.

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