Silent Text app for iOS allows encrypted file transfers with self-destruct option
Silent Circle, a startup company that provides encrypted mobile communication services, released a new version of its Silent Text app for iOS that allows users to exchange encrypted files at the push of a button. The files can be set to self-destruct.
Silent Circle currently offers two mobile apps for encrypted communication called Silent Phone and Silent Text, but plans to add Silent Mail in the future as well. As their names suggest, these apps can be used for secure voice and video calling, secure text messaging and secure email. A fourth app Silent Eyes is available for computers and can be used for encrypted video and voice teleconferencing.
The current and future apps are free to download, but can only be used with a subscription to Silent Circle's service that costs US$20 per month. All of the communications pass through Silent Circle's servers, but they do so in encrypted form. The data is encrypted locally with keys generated on the devices. The company doesn't have access to them so it can't see the actual content.