myEnigma
| myEnigma | |
|---|---|
| Basic data
|
|
| developer | Qnective |
| Publishing year | 2013 |
| Current version | 1.34.26 ( Android ) October 28, 2014 1.34.0018 ( iOS ) 1.20.106 ( Blackberry ) |
| operating system | Android , iOS , Blackberry |
| category | Instant messaging |
| License | proprietary |
| German speaking | Yes |
| www.myenigma.com | |
myEnigma was an application program for internet-enabled cell phones (“app”) for the encrypted exchange of data. The app belonged to the category of instant messaging apps. myEnigma used end-to-end encryption , with which sender and recipient could exchange chats , SMS and multimedia files in encrypted form. The service was discontinued on April 1, 2016, the previously free app for Android , Blackberry and iOS is no longer available in the stores. myEnigma was developed by the Swiss company Qnective.
The name “Enigma” is derived from the Greek “Ainigma” (αἴνιγμα, “ riddle ”) and alludes to the historical encryption machine Enigma .
safety
According to non-verifiable information from the manufacturer , myEnigma encrypted text messages, SMS and multimedia content with AES 256-bit end-to-end encryption. This means: The data was encrypted at the sender and only decrypted again at the recipient. They ran completely encrypted via the server (located in Switzerland) and can neither be viewed by the operators themselves nor by the mobile network provider. The app relied on a symmetrical key , which had the disadvantage that the communication could be read if the device could be accessed. To prevent this, this key was automatically changed every three days.
Functions
In individual or group chats, users can send encrypted messages and multimedia files such as videos, photos or audio files up to a size of 20 MB. Up to 30 members are allowed in group chat. The app has a secure SMS mode that can send encrypted SMS messages among myEnigma users. In this way, users do not have to forego secure communication in the event of Internet disruptions or abroad.
Availability
In January 2016, the provider Qnective announced on the website that it wanted to concentrate on commercial secure communication services in the future, since the maintenance of the free apps could no longer be provided. At the beginning the idea was to provide interested users with an encrypted messenger. After the app was downloaded more than 450,000 times in the course of the offer, the servers of Qnective no longer kept up with the data volume. The service was discontinued from April 1st. The apps that have not been updated for a long time have been removed from the Android and Apple stores.
MyEnigma was previously available for Android , Blackberry and iOS free of charge in the respective App Store .
The app was available in English (since March 2013), German (since October 2013), Italian (since April 2014), Spanish and Portuguese (both since May 2014).
Registration and contacts
Registration takes place via the user's telephone number. The phone number is also the account ID.
The app searches for existing contacts in the phone book. Using a TLS encryption protocol , it establishes a connection to the server in order to transmit the contact data. She only accesses the phone numbers. These are anonymized with a hash process and compared with the already anonymized phone numbers of myEnigma users. Then the app is informed about which contacts it can connect to. The operator wants to ensure that the data is not misused and remains anonymous both in the transmission path and on the server.
operator
The app was developed by security and cryptography experts from Qnective, based in Zurich. The competence of the Swiss company lies primarily in the design, development and operation of mobile security solutions for companies, governments and public organizations in the B2B sector . The myEnigma app was intended for private individuals who want to encrypt and thus protect their daily communication via chat or SMS.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Download page for Android at play.google.com , accessed on July 27, 2015.
- ↑ Preview page for iOS at itunes.apple.com , accessed July 27, 2015.
- ↑ Download page for Blackberry at appworld.blackberry.com , accessed on July 27, 2015 (partly in English ).
- ^ Neue Zürcher Zeitung Online, July 17, 2013: Second relatively bug-proof WhatsApp from Switzerland
- ↑ vobis.ch, October 16, 2013: Alternatives to WhatsApp: Threema, myEnigma and Co. ( Memento of the original from July 17, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ teltarif.de, August 17, 2013: Secure messaging: WhatsApp alternatives with encryption
- ↑ mobiflip.de, November 19, 2013: Messaging app myENIGMA now also in German
- ^ Zeit Online, August 10, 2013: The supposedly safe alternatives to WhatsApp
- ↑ mobiflip.de, August 14, 2013: myENIGMA: secure messaging app from Switzerland
- ↑ website of Qnective , accessed on 10 March 2014
- ↑ Tagesanzeiger Online, July 18, 2013: WhatsApp without Big Brother
