:ChatSecure

{{Short description|Messaging application}}

{{Infobox software

| name = ChatSecure

| logo = ChatSecure_App_Icon.png

| logo alt = ChatSecure logo, full.

| logo caption =

| screenshot =

| screenshot alt =

| caption = ChatSecure 4.0

| collapsible =

| author = Chris Ballinger

| developer = Chris Ballinger, David Chiles, and contributors

| released = 1.0.2 / {{Start date and age|2012|02|27}}{{cite web|url=https://github.com/ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS/releases/tag/v1.0.2|title=ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS|website=GitHub}}

| discontinued =

| ver layout =

| latest release version = 5.0.4{{cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatsecure/id464200063|title=ChatSecure Messenger|date=13 August 2021 }}

| latest release date = {{start date and age|2021|08|13}}

| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q28444644|P348|P548=Q51930650}}

| latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q28444644|P348|P548=Q51930650|P577}}

| programming language = Objective-C, Swift

| operating system = iOS

| platform =

| size = 10.7 MB

| language =

| language count = 30

| language footnote = {{cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/app/chatsecure-messenger/id464200063|title=ChatSecure Messenger on the App Store|website=apps.apple.com|date=13 August 2021 }}

| genre = Communication

| license = GPL-3.0-or-later{{cite web|url=https://github.com/ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS/blob/master/README.md|title=README.md|website=GitHub }}

| alexa =

| website = {{URL|https://chatsecure.org}}

| repo = {{URL|https://github.com/chatsecure}}

| standard =

| AsOf =

}}

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 GPL-3.0-or-later license.

ChatSecure has been used by international individuals{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2016/01/secure-messaging-apps/|title=Your Selfies Are Insecure. Here's How to Encrypt Them|first=April|last=Glaser|magazine=Wired }}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/11/messenger-private-chats|title=Worried about leaky chats? Messaging apps are responding with security features|first=Stuart|last=Dredge|date=11 December 2014|newspaper=The Guardian}} and governments,{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-u-s-fights-encryptionand-also-helps-develop-it-1456109096|title=How the U.S. Fights Encryption—and Also Helps Develop It|first=Damian|last=Paletta|date=22 February 2016|newspaper=Wall Street Journal}} businesses,{{cite journal|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/its-time-to-admit-that-e-mail-will-never-be-100-percent-secure/|title=Your E-mail Password Will Never Be Safe|first=David|last=Pogue|journal=Scientific American|year=2016|volume=316|issue=1|pages=24|doi=10.1038/scientificamerican0117-24|pmid=28004711|bibcode=2016SciAm.316a..24P|url-access=subscription}} and those spreading jihadi propaganda.{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2017/jan/12/dark-net-islamic-preachers-under-intelligence--lens-1558736.html|title='Dark net' Islamic preachers under intelligence lens|date=12 January 2017 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.dailydot.com/layer8/isis-telegram-encryption-messenger-recommendations/|title=ISIS recommends list of secure-messaging apps amid heated U.S. encryption debate|website=The Daily Dot|date=13 April 2016 }}

As of July 2023 the app haven't received any updates in almost two years.{{Cite web |title=Commits · ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS |url=https://github.com/ChatSecure/ChatSecure-iOS |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=GitHub |language=en}}

History

ChatSecure was originally released in 2011, and was the first iOS application to support OTR messaging.{{Cite web |title=ChatSecure iOS Security Audit |url=https://chatsecure.org/blog/chatsecure-security-audit/ |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=ChatSecure|date=26 June 2015 }} In 2012, ChatSecure formed a partnership with The Guardian Project and the Gibberbot app was rebranded to "ChatSecure Android".{{cite web |url=https://guardianproject.info/2013/10/24/chatsecure-v12-provides-comprehensive-security-and-a-whole-new-look/ |title=ChatSecure v12 Provides Comprehensive Mobile Security and a Whole New Look |author=Nathan Freitas |date=24 October 2013 |publisher=GuardianProject.info |access-date=24 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907183011/https://guardianproject.info/2013/10/24/chatsecure-v12-provides-comprehensive-security-and-a-whole-new-look/ |archive-date=7 September 2018 |url-status=dead }}

In late 2016, the Android branding partnership was ended,{{cite web|url=https://chatsecure.org/blog/chatsecure-android-deprecated/|title=The End of ChatSecure Android|date=16 December 2016 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.tomshardware.com/news/chatsecure-4-omemo-end-to-end-encryption,33439.html|title=ChatSecure 4.0 Launches With Support For Signal-Derivative 'OMEMO' Protocol (Update)|date=18 January 2017}} with ChatSecure Android becoming 'Zom',{{cite web|url=https://github.com/zom/Zom-Android|title=zom/Zom-Android|website=GitHub}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://chatsecure.org/blog/chatsecure-v4-released/|title=ChatSecure v4.0 - OMEMO and Signal Protocol|date=17 January 2017 }}

ChatSecure is censored from the App Store in China.{{cite web|url=https://applecensorship.com/app-store-monitor/app/464200063|title=Apple Censorship: ChatSecure}}

Reception

In November 2014, "ChatSecure + Orbot" received a perfect score on the Electronic Frontier Foundation's "Secure Messaging Scorecard";{{cite web|url=https://www.eff.org/node/82654|publisher=Electronic Frontier Foundation|title= Secure Messaging Scorecard |date=4 November 2014|access-date=18 January 2017}} 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.

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}