Messenger apps that offer end-to-end encryption (where only the ones communicating can read the messages) are much heard off. What you’d have probably not heard of is an application that claims to offer an even higher degree of security. Well, meet ‘Briar’- a secure messaging app that uses the ‘Tor network’ for communication between users.

Briar-app

For the uninitiated, Tor disguises an individual’s location by directing Internet traffic through an overlay network. Consequently, Web activities cannot be monitored, as the actual source and destination remains unknown.

Interestingly, if Tor gets blocked for whatever reason, Briar lets you use Bluetooth or ad-hoc Wi-Fi for sending/receiving encrypted messages.

briar-contacts

To add a contact, you need to scan a QR code, but since Briar obstructs screenshots, you need the person (or at-least their device) to be physically near you.

briar-add-contacts-instructions
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briar-add-contacts

Another thing worth mentioning is that the messages you exchange using the app are stored on device, not on cloud. The app has been security-audited by Cure53, the same firm that audited other popular services like SecureDrop and Cryptocat.

The only major limitation with Briar is that its constant connection to Tor can be battery eating. If that’s not a problem for you (as well as the fact that the app is currently in beta), Briar is now get-at-able from Play Store.

Source | Via | Play Store

Dr. Aparajita Sharma
1227 Posts

Currently, I am pursuing Ph.D (Psychology), and have been teaching the same for past four years. Coming to PiunikaWeb, I know it was a complete switch over, but the idea was appealing enough to put in all the effort it called for. My work primarily involves research. Oh, and yes, some of the photographs you see here are clicked by me. Overall, I am enjoying whatever I am doing, and hoping you’ll also feel the same reading all my articles. You can find me on LinkedIN.

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