Confide is an encrypted instant messaging application for most major operating systems. It was first released in 2013, on
iOS, and is known for its self-destructing messaging system that deletes messages immediately after reading. The platform offers both free and paid features for individuals and businesses.
In 2017, the news outlet
Axios reported that it had gained popularity among, “numerous senior GOP operatives and several members of the
Trump administration.” After receiving more media attention, there were concerns about the security of the app, as it is closed source and an independent review by Kudelski Security indicated it may use an older, less secure version of
OpenSSL
OpenSSL is a software library for applications that provide secure communications over computer networks against eavesdropping or need to identify the party at the other end. It is widely used by Internet servers, including the majority of HTT ...
. The app's first full security audit found multiple critical vulnerabilities including impersonating another user by hijacking an account session or by guessing a password, learning the contact details of Confide users, becoming an intermediary in a conversation and decrypting messages, and potentially altering the contents of a message or attachment in transit without first decrypting it. WIRED reported that the encryption in Confide was based on the "
PGP
PGP or Pgp may refer to:
Science and technology
* P-glycoprotein, a type of protein
* Pelvic girdle pain, a pregnancy discomfort
* Personal Genome Project, to sequence genomes and medical records
* Pretty Good Privacy, a computer program for the ...
standard," and used
Transport Layer Security.
In January 2018, Confide, Inc. developers announced their newly developed ScreenShieldKit SDK (Software Development Kit) which was originally intended only for the Confide application. The API allows developers to incorporate the same screenshot-proof functionality of Confide into their own applications by simply importing the SDK replacing UITextView and UIImageView – two commonly used iOS development components used to display data to end users. The SDK prevents screenshots by blanking out the data and supports protection from a variety of capture methods including screenshots, screen recordings, screen mirrorings, and even screenshots from Apple's Xcode (the main development platform for iOS).
Confide was referred to as an application that was used during communications between an accuser and a boss during
the scandal surrounding the then governor in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
in 2021.
See also
*
Comparison of instant messaging clients
*
Signal
*
Wire
References
External links
*
Cryptographic software
Secure communication
IOS software
Internet privacy software
{{mobile-software-stub